How to search for string in array?

Question

I have a string in a custom field usp-custom-60:

Via Prospero Lavarello, 2, 16142 Genova GE, Italia

Then I get a value from GET

$myTerm = $_GET['cityName'];

And now $myterm is genova

And I have a loop where I am first trying to split the whole string and convert it into an array, then I am asking if a term is in array:

$catIds = array();

    while  {
        $query->the_post();
        $id = get_the_ID();
        $custom_field = usp_get_meta(false, 'usp-custom-60');
        $custom_field   = explode(" ", $custom_field);
        if (in_array($myTerm, $custom_field, true)) {
            array_push($catIds, $id);
            var_dump($catIds);
    }

But I get no results. If I do var_dump($custom_field) I get;

array(8) { [0]=> string(3) "Via" [1]=> string(8) "Prospero" [2]=> string(10) "Lavarello," [3]=> string(2) "2," [4]=> string(5) "16142" [5]=> string(6) "Genova" [6]=> string(3) "GE," [7]=> string(6) "Italia" } array(8) { [0]=> string(3) "Via" [1]=> string(8) "Prospero" [2]=> string(10) "Lavarello," [3]=> string(2) "2," [4]=> string(5) "16142" [5]=> string(6) "Genova" [6]=> string(3) "GE," [7]=> string(6) "Italia" } array(8) { [0]=> string(3) "Via" [1]=> string(9) "Adalberto" [2]=> string(7) "Catena," [3]=> string(2) "4," [4]=> string(5) "20121" [5]=> string(6) "Milano" [6]=> string(3) "MI," [7]=> string(6) "Italia" }

Based on the other answer suggested, I tried the following

$myTerm = $_GET['cityName']; 

$catIds = array();

$args = get_posts( 
    array( 
        'post_type'      => 'post', 
        'posts_per_page' => -1, 
    ) 
);
$query = new WP_Query( $args );
if ( $query->have_posts() ) {
    while ( $query->have_posts() ) {
        $query->the_post();
        $id = get_the_ID();
        $custom_field = usp_get_meta(false, 'usp-custom-60');
        if (strpos($custom_field, $myTerm) !== false) {
            array_push($catIds, $id);
        }     
        if(count($catIds) > 0){
            $arrayFUllCity = "fullCity";
        } else {
            $arrayFUllCity = "empty";
        }
    }
    //$catIds = implode( ", ", $catIds );
    var_dump($catIds);
}

But I get array(0) { } even tho the echo $custom_field gives me 3 results with

Via Prospero Lavarello, 2, 16142 Genova GE, Italia

Via Prospero Lavarello, 2, 16142 Genova GE, Italia

Via Adalberto Catena, 4, 20121 Milano MI, Italia

I don't entirely follow--can you not use `strpos`? http://php.net/manual/en/function.strpos.php — ggorlen, Nov 21 '18 at 00:43
@ggorlen why strops? I have an entire string, I need to check if $myterm is in string — rob.m, Nov 21 '18 at 00:44
@rob.m That's exactly what `strpos` does, check if a string is in a string. — ggorlen, Nov 21 '18 at 00:45
Possible duplicate of [How do I check if a string contains a specific word?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4366730/how-do-i-check-if-a-string-contains-a-specific-word) — ggorlen, Nov 21 '18 at 00:47

Nick · Answer 1 · 2018-11-21T03:30:32.557

Your issue (as far as I can see is that you have a case mismatch between $myTerm which is "genova" and the string, which has "Genova" in it. Since in_array is case-sensitive, the check fails. I would use preg_match on the original string to solve this, using \b to check for word boundaries around $myTerm, and the i modifier to make the regex case-insensitive:

$custom_fields = 'Via Prospero Lavarello, 2, 16142 Genova GE, Italia';
$myTerm = 'genova';
echo preg_match("/\b$myTerm\b/i", $custom_fields);

Output:

1 (true)

Demo on 3v4l.org

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 21 '18 at 00:56

0

In this kind of case using strpos is best way. From my end it's not possible to run your code because of database relationship. but you can try this solution. May be problem in extra spacing.

$catIds = array();

    while  {
        $query->the_post();
        $id = get_the_ID();
        $custom_field = usp_get_meta(false, 'usp-custom-60');
        $custom_field = explode(" ", $custom_field);
        $custom_field = array_map('trim', $custom_field);
        if (in_array($myTerm, $custom_field, true)) {
            array_push($catIds, $id);
            var_dump($catIds);
    }

edited Nov 21 '18 at 00:56

Funk Forty Niner

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answered Nov 21 '18 at 00:53

Himel Rana

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I still get `array(0) { }` even tho the strings are as per the bottom of my question – rob.m Nov 21 '18 at 00:54
try to echo $id to be sure $id is not blank. – Himel Rana Nov 21 '18 at 01:00
if I place echo $id before in_array, I get 127431 127429 127427 array(0) { } – rob.m Nov 21 '18 at 01:03
this isn't working $custom_field = explode(" ", $custom_field); – rob.m Nov 21 '18 at 01:04
explode should work. check your $custom_field >> echo $coustom_field; before explode – Himel Rana Nov 21 '18 at 01:13
I did, and I get `Via Prospero Lavarello, 2, 16142 Genova GE, Italia` – rob.m Nov 21 '18 at 01:14
I have build this based on your given output. working from my end. https://pastebin.com/Pw6LvY3H – Himel Rana Nov 21 '18 at 01:29
Let us [continue this discussion in chat](https://chat.stackoverflow.com/rooms/183990/discussion-between-himel-rana-and-rob-m). – Himel Rana Nov 21 '18 at 01:38

How to search for string in array?

2 Answers2