Simplifying an associative array()

Question

Would it be better to convert the array in the following code to

$langs = array("en", "de", "fr");

and then reusing the values for both $folder and $flag? If so, how then would my foreach (or maybe a while?) loop be written?

<?php
 $langs = array(
 "en/" => "en.png",
 "de/" => "de.png",
 "fr/" => "fr.png"
 );
 $self = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];
 $pattern = "{^.*/}i";
 $links = array();
 foreach ($langs as $folder => $flag) {
 $url = preg_replace($pattern, "$folder", $self);
 $link = "<li><a href=\"../$url\"><img src=\"../img/$flag\"></a></li>";
 array_push($links, $link);
 }
 echo implode($links) . "\n";
?>

I'm trying to "fool proof" the code, by effectively limiting the folder structures and file names that can be used, as I create a basic template of files for quick rolling out of our websites. If you can see any other improvements, that would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

You can definitely simplify this, as the only part of each element of $langs that changes is the two-letter language code. Something like this would work:

<?php
$langs = array(
 "en",
 "de",
 "fr"
);
$self = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];
$pattern = "{^.*/}i";
$links = array();
foreach ($langs as $code) {
 $url = preg_replace($pattern, "$code/", $self);
 $link = "<li><a href=\"../$url\"><img src=\"../img/$code.png\"></a></li>";
 array_push($links, $link);
}
echo implode($links) . "\n";
?>

You just use a non-associative array and append / or .png where needed; much cleaner.

• mpdc: Thank you. Once you see it written out, you realise it's so simple yet so effective!