Group Arrays By Another Array?

Question

I'm trying to sort one array by another array. Both these arrays get their content from a form.

Here's my form code:

<form method="post" action="">

<div class="groupcontainer">
<br/><label>Group One:</label><br/>
<input type="text" name="groupname[]" value="groupone" /><br/>
<br/><label>Variable Group One:</label><br/>
<input type="text" name="variable[]" value="variableone" />
<input type="text" name="variable[]" value="variabletwo" />
</div>

<br/>

<div class="groupcontainer">
<br/><label>Group Two:</label><br/>
<input type="text" name="groupname[]" value="grouptwo" /><br/>
<br/><label>Variable Group Two:</label><br/>
<input type="text" name="variable[]" value="variablethree" />
<input type="text" name="variable[]" value="variablefour" />
</div>

<br/>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>

Here's the PHP code:

<?php

if (!$_POST['submit'] == "") {
    foreach($_POST['groupname'] as $groupname) {
        $groupnum = 1;
        foreach($_POST['variable'] as $variable) {  
            print "$".$groupname.$groupnum." = '".$variable."';<br/>";
            $groupnum++;
        }
        print "$".$groupname." = array(";
        for ($arrnum = 1; $arrnum <= count($_POST['variable']); $arrnum++) {
            print "$".$groupname.$arrnum.", ";
        }
        print ");<br/><br/>";
    }
}

?>

This is the result I get when I submit the form:

$groupone1 = '$variableone';
$groupone2 = '$variabletwo';
$groupone3 = '$variablethree';
$groupone4 = '$variablefour';
$groupone = array($groupone1, $groupone2, $groupone3, $groupone4, )

$grouptwo1 = '$variableone';
$grouptwo2 = '$variabletwo';
$grouptwo3 = '$variablethree';
$grouptwo4 = '$variablefour';
$grouptwo = array($grouptwo1, $grouptwo2, $grouptwo3, $grouptwo4, )

This is the result that I actually want:

$groupone1 = '$variableone';
$groupone2 = '$variabletwo';
$groupone = array($groupone1, $groupone2)

$grouptwo1 = '$variablethree';
$grouptwo2 = '$variablefour';
$grouptwo = array($grouptwo1, $grouptwo2)

The whole thing needs to be dynamic since I want to add as many groups and variables as I want.

I've been searching for an answer for days and already asked two people who didn't know an answer. Maybe you guys can help. Thanks!

Update:

Just to clarify a few points:

1. So basically I want to be able to add as many input forms as I want (I use jQuery for that) to create as many groups and variables as I want, for example like this:

   $groupwuteva1 = 'hello'; $groupwuteva2 = 'bye':

   $randomname1 = 'green'; $randomname2 = 'blue'; $randomname3 = 'red';

   $blabla1 = 'abc'; $blabla2 = 'xyz'; $blabla3 = '123'; $blabla4 = 'bla';

2. Whatever I use as groupname will be used in array one, e.g. I call a group "Colors" and the variables I put into the form for that group are "blue", "red" and "green". Then I would get this code:

   $colors1 = 'green'; $colors2 = 'blue'; $colors3 = 'red';

I hope this clairfies some questions. And thanks a ton for all responses so far!

Answer 1

You can take the group name as a container to store all associated variable values in it. And later, use variable variables and implode() function to process your html form.

HTML

<form method="post" action="">

<div class="groupcontainer">
<br/><label>Groupe One:</label><br/>
<input type="text" name="groupname[]" value="groupone" /><br/>
<br/><label>Variable Group One:</label><br/>
<input type="text" name="groupone[]" value="variableone" />
<input type="text" name="groupone[]" value="variabletwo" />
</div>

<br/>

<div class="groupcontainer">
<br/><label>Groupe Two:</label><br/>
<input type="text" name="groupname[]" value="grouptwo" /><br/>
<br/><label>Variable Group One:</label><br/>
<input type="text" name="grouptwo[]" value="variablethree" />
<input type="text" name="grouptwo[]" value="variablefour" />
</div>

<br/>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>

PHP

if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
    foreach($_POST['groupname'] as $value){
        $arr = array();
        $i = 1;
        foreach($_POST[$value] as $v){
            $var = $value . $i;
            $$var = $v;
            echo $var . " = " . $$var . "<br />";
            $arr[] = $$var;
            ++$i;
        }

        $output = $value . " = array(" . implode(",", $arr) . ")";
        echo $output . "<br /><br />";
    }
}

Output:

groupone1 = variableone
groupone2 = variabletwo
groupone = array(variableone,variabletwo)

grouptwo1 = variablethree
grouptwo2 = variablefour
grouptwo = array(variablethree,variablefour)

Answer 2

try this form:

<form method="post" action="">
    <?php foreach(array('groupone', 'grouptwo') as $num):?>
        <div class="groupcontainer">
            <br/><label>Groupe <?php echo $num;?>:</label><br/>
            <input type="text" name="groupname[]" value="<?php echo $num;?>" /><br/>
            <br/><label>Variable Group <?php echo $num;?>:</label><br/>
            <input type="text" name="variable[<?php echo $num;?>][]" value="<?php echo uniqid();?>" />
            <input type="text" name="variable[<?php echo $num;?>][]" value="<?php echo uniqid();?>" />
        </div>

        <br/>
    <?php endforeach;?>

    <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>

and code:

if ($_POST) {
    foreach($_POST['groupname'] as $groupname) {
        $$groupname = array();

        foreach($_POST['variable'][$groupname] as $variable) {
            ${$groupname}[] = $variable;
        }
    }

    var_dump($groupone);
    var_dump($grouptwo);
}