Tech Expanding category issue with php - GoFuckYourself.com

Publisher Bucks · 03-08-2025, 06:05 AM

So I have this page https://publisherbucks.com/test/

If you check the NonFiction expandable menu, it works perfectly.

However, the other 5 top tier categories on the page do not, they show the top tier category as an expandable option below its top tier.

They are all included in the same SQL table with a data setup like this:

Quote:

ID | Code | Category | Comment |
1 | ANT000000 | Antiques & Collectibles > General |
2 | ANT056000 | Antiques & Collectibles > Advertising |
1326 | FIC000000 | Fiction > General |
1327 | FIC064000 |Fiction > Absurdist | See also Absurd
1328 | FIC002000 | Fiction > Action & Adventure |

The code I've been putting together, that I have also ran through AI this morning (does not find any problems apparently, although it was nice enough to add comments for each of the sections of code lol) is as follows:

Quote:

<?php
// Database connection settings
$host = "localhost"; // Change this to your database host (e.g., localhost)
$username = "Username"; // Your database username
$password = "Password"; // Your database password
$dbname = "DB"; // Your database name

// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($host, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}

// Fetch categories from the BISAC table, ordered alphabetically
$sql = "SELECT ID, Code, Category, Comments FROM BISAC ORDER BY Category";
$result = $conn->query($sql);

$categories = [];
while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
$categories[] = $row;
}

// Close connection
$conn->close();

// Define the six main sections
$mainSections = [
"Fiction",
"NonFiction",
"Juvenile Fiction",
"Juvenile NonFiction",
"Young Adult Fiction",
"Young Adult NonFiction"
];

// Function to determine the section (Fiction, NonFiction, etc.)
function getMainSection($category) {
global $mainSections;

foreach ($mainSections as $section) {
if (stripos($category, $section . " >") === 0) {
return $section;
}
}
return "NonFiction"; // Default to NonFiction if not categorized
}

// Function to build category tree
function buildCategoryTree($categories) {
global $mainSections;

$trees = array_fill_keys($mainSections, []);

foreach ($categories as $item) {
$mainSection = getMainSection($item['Category']);
$categoryPath = explode(' > ', $item['Category']);

// First level category (Top-Level Category)
$firstCategory = array_shift($categoryPath);

// Ensure only top-level categories are stored correctly
if (!isset($trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory])) {
$trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory] = [
'subcategories' => [],
'id' => md5($mainSection . ' > ' . $firstCategory)
];
}

// Process only immediate subcategories and prevent recursion
if (!empty($categoryPath)) {
$subCategory = array_shift($categoryPath);

// Prevent adding the main category inside itself
if ($subCategory !== $mainSection && $subCategory !== $firstCategory) {
if (!isset($trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory]['subcategories'][$subCategory])) {
$trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory]['subcategories'][$subCategory] = [
'subcategories' => [],
'id' => md5($mainSection . ' > ' . $firstCategory . ' > ' . $subCategory)
];
}
}
}
}

return $trees;
}

// Generate categorized trees
$categoryTree = buildCategoryTree($categories);

// Function to render categories
function renderCategories($tree) {
if (!empty($tree)) {
echo '<ul>';
foreach ($tree as $category => $data) {
$hasSubcategories = !empty($data['subcategories']);
$uniqueId = $data['id']; // Unique ID for toggling

echo '<li>';
if ($hasSubcategories) {
echo '<input type="checkbox" id="toggle-' . $uniqueId . '" class="toggle">';
echo '<label for="toggle-' . $uniqueId . '" class="category-label">
' . $category . ' <span class="expand-icon"></span>
</label>';
echo '<ul class="subcategories">';
foreach ($data['subcategories'] as $sub => $subData) {
echo '<li>';
echo $sub;
echo '</li>';
}
echo '</ul>';
} else {
echo $category;
}
echo '</li>';
}
echo '</ul>';
}
}
?>

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<base href="https://gfy.com/" />
<base href="https://gfy.com/" />
<base href="https://gfy.com/" />
<base href="https://gfy.com/" />
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Categorized BISAC Dropdown</title>
<style>
.dropdown-container {
width: 400px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
padding: 10px;
max-height: 500px;
overflow-y: auto;
}
ul {
list-style: none;
padding-left: 0;
}
li {
margin: 5px 0;
position: relative;
}
.category-label {
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
width: 100%;
}
.expand-icon {
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
margin-left: 10px;
}
.toggle {
display: none;
}
.toggle + .category-label + .subcategories {
display: none;
}
.toggle:checked + .category-label + .subcategories {
display: block;
}
/* Change (+) to (-) when expanded */
.toggle + .category-label .expand-icon::before {
content: " (+)";
}
.toggle:checked + .category-label .expand-icon::before {
content: " (-)";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="dropdown-container">
<ul>
<?php foreach ($mainSections as $mainSection): ?>
<li>
<input type="checkbox" id="toggle-<?php echo md5($mainSection); ?>" class="toggle">
<label for="toggle-<?php echo md5($mainSection); ?>" class="category-label">
<?php echo $mainSection; ?> <span class="expand-icon"></span>
</label>
<?php if (!empty($categoryTree[$mainSection])): ?>
<ul class="subcategories">
<?php renderCategories($categoryTree[$mainSection]); ?>
</ul>
<?php endif; ?>
</li>
<?php endforeach; ?>
</ul>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Can anyone see whats causing only the NonFiction top level to work, while not the others?

This is confusing the fuck out me.

To clarify, I have checked the SQL data structure and it is standardized throughout, so its *not* a data structure issue in SQL.

Publisher Bucks · 03-08-2025, 08:44 AM

Resolved this finally, it seems there was a hidden blank space in the SQL table data which was fucking things up

machinegunkelly · 03-09-2025, 01:00 AM

what a waste of time lol

you should look into churning butter.. since you're such a big fan of old tech

fris · 03-09-2025, 02:48 PM

messy code :p

mikeet · 03-10-2025, 07:15 AM

All im seeing is: Oh snap... Looks like another COVID-19 conspiracy took down this page... New World Order and Illuminati are real yo LOL

Publisher Bucks · 03-10-2025, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeet

All im seeing is: Oh snap... Looks like another COVID-19 conspiracy took down this page... New World Order and Illuminati are real yo LOL

Probably something to do with Huggles...

fris · 03-10-2025, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Publisher Bucks

Probably something to do with Huggles...

cleaned it up a bit

Code:

<?php
// Database connection settings
$host = "localhost"; 
$username = "Username"; 
$password = "Password"; 
$dbname = "DB"; 

// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($host, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}

// Fetch categories from the BISAC table, ordered alphabetically
$sql = "SELECT ID, Code, Category, Comments FROM BISAC ORDER BY Category";
$result = $conn->query($sql);

if (!$result) {
    die("Query failed: " . $conn->error);
}

$categories = $result->fetch_all(MYSQLI_ASSOC);

// Close connection
$conn->close();

// Define the six main sections
$mainSections = [
    "Fiction",
    "NonFiction",
    "Juvenile Fiction",
    "Juvenile NonFiction",
    "Young Adult Fiction",
    "Young Adult NonFiction"
];

// Function to determine the section (Fiction, NonFiction, etc.)
function getMainSection(string $category): string {
    global $mainSections;

    foreach ($mainSections as $section) {
        if (stripos($category, $section . " >") === 0) {
            return $section;
        }
    }
    return "NonFiction"; // Default to NonFiction if not categorized
}

// Function to build category tree
function buildCategoryTree(array $categories): array {
    global $mainSections;

    $trees = array_fill_keys($mainSections, []);

    foreach ($categories as $item) {
        $mainSection = getMainSection($item['Category']);
        $categoryPath = explode(' > ', $item['Category']);
        $firstCategory = array_shift($categoryPath);

        // Ensure only top-level categories are stored correctly
        if (!isset($trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory])) {
            $trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory] = [
                'subcategories' => [],
                'id' => md5($mainSection . ' > ' . $firstCategory)
            ];
        }

        // Process only immediate subcategories and prevent recursion
        if (!empty($categoryPath)) {
            $subCategory = array_shift($categoryPath);
            if ($subCategory !== $mainSection && $subCategory !== $firstCategory) {
                if (!isset($trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory]['subcategories'][$subCategory])) {
                    $trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory]['subcategories'][$subCategory] = [
                        'subcategories' => [],
                        'id' => md5($mainSection . ' > ' . $firstCategory . ' > ' . $subCategory)
                    ];
                }
            }
        }
    }

    return $trees;
}

// Generate categorized trees
$categoryTree = buildCategoryTree($categories);

// Function to render categories
function renderCategories(array $tree): void {
    if (!empty($tree)) {
        echo '<ul>';
        foreach ($tree as $category => $data) {
            $hasSubcategories = !empty($data['subcategories']);
            $uniqueId = $data['id'];

            echo '<li>';
            if ($hasSubcategories) {
                echo '<input type="checkbox" id="toggle-' . $uniqueId . '" class="toggle">';
                echo '<label for="toggle-' . $uniqueId . '" class="category-label">' . htmlspecialchars($category) . ' <span class="expand-icon"></span></label>';
                echo '<ul class="subcategories">';
                foreach ($data['subcategories'] as $sub => $subData) {
                    echo '<li>' . htmlspecialchars($sub) . '</li>';
                }
                echo '</ul>';
            } else {
                echo htmlspecialchars($category);
            }
            echo '</li>';
        }
        echo '</ul>';
    }
}
?>

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<base href="https://gfy.com/" /><!--[if IE]></base><![endif]-->
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Categorized BISAC Dropdown</title>
    <style>
        .dropdown-container {
            width: 400px;
            border: 1px solid #ccc;
            padding: 10px;
            max-height: 500px;
            overflow-y: auto;
        }
        ul {
            list-style: none;
            padding-left: 0;
        }
        li {
            margin: 5px 0;
            position: relative;
        }
        .category-label {
            font-weight: bold;
            cursor: pointer;
            display: flex;
            justify-content: space-between;
            width: 100%;
        }
        .expand-icon {
            font-weight: bold;
            cursor: pointer;
            margin-left: 10px;
        }
        .toggle {
            display: none;
        }
        .toggle + .category-label + .subcategories {
            display: none;
        }
        .toggle:checked + .category-label + .subcategories {
            display: block;
        }
        .toggle + .category-label .expand-icon::before {
            content: " (+)";
        }
        .toggle:checked + .category-label .expand-icon::before {
            content: " (-)";
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class="dropdown-container">
        <ul>
            <?php foreach ($mainSections as $mainSection): ?>
                <li>
                    <input type="checkbox" id="toggle-<?php echo md5($mainSection); ?>" class="toggle">
                    <label for="toggle-<?php echo md5($mainSection); ?>" class="category-label"><?php echo htmlspecialchars($mainSection); ?> <span class="expand-icon"></span></label>
                    <?php if (!empty($categoryTree[$mainSection])): ?>
                        <ul class="subcategories">
                            <?php renderCategories($categoryTree[$mainSection]); ?>
                        </ul>
                    <?php endif; ?>
                </li>
            <?php endforeach; ?>
        </ul>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

Publisher Bucks · 03-10-2025, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fris

cleaned it up a bit

Code:

<?php
// Database connection settings
$host = "localhost"; 
$username = "Username"; 
$password = "Password"; 
$dbname = "DB"; 

// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($host, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}

// Fetch categories from the BISAC table, ordered alphabetically
$sql = "SELECT ID, Code, Category, Comments FROM BISAC ORDER BY Category";
$result = $conn->query($sql);

if (!$result) {
    die("Query failed: " . $conn->error);
}

$categories = $result->fetch_all(MYSQLI_ASSOC);

// Close connection
$conn->close();

// Define the six main sections
$mainSections = [
    "Fiction",
    "NonFiction",
    "Juvenile Fiction",
    "Juvenile NonFiction",
    "Young Adult Fiction",
    "Young Adult NonFiction"
];

// Function to determine the section (Fiction, NonFiction, etc.)
function getMainSection(string $category): string {
    global $mainSections;

    foreach ($mainSections as $section) {
        if (stripos($category, $section . " >") === 0) {
            return $section;
        }
    }
    return "NonFiction"; // Default to NonFiction if not categorized
}

// Function to build category tree
function buildCategoryTree(array $categories): array {
    global $mainSections;

    $trees = array_fill_keys($mainSections, []);

    foreach ($categories as $item) {
        $mainSection = getMainSection($item['Category']);
        $categoryPath = explode(' > ', $item['Category']);
        $firstCategory = array_shift($categoryPath);

        // Ensure only top-level categories are stored correctly
        if (!isset($trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory])) {
            $trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory] = [
                'subcategories' => [],
                'id' => md5($mainSection . ' > ' . $firstCategory)
            ];
        }

        // Process only immediate subcategories and prevent recursion
        if (!empty($categoryPath)) {
            $subCategory = array_shift($categoryPath);
            if ($subCategory !== $mainSection && $subCategory !== $firstCategory) {
                if (!isset($trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory]['subcategories'][$subCategory])) {
                    $trees[$mainSection][$firstCategory]['subcategories'][$subCategory] = [
                        'subcategories' => [],
                        'id' => md5($mainSection . ' > ' . $firstCategory . ' > ' . $subCategory)
                    ];
                }
            }
        }
    }

    return $trees;
}

// Generate categorized trees
$categoryTree = buildCategoryTree($categories);

// Function to render categories
function renderCategories(array $tree): void {
    if (!empty($tree)) {
        echo '<ul>';
        foreach ($tree as $category => $data) {
            $hasSubcategories = !empty($data['subcategories']);
            $uniqueId = $data['id'];

            echo '<li>';
            if ($hasSubcategories) {
                echo '<input type="checkbox" id="toggle-' . $uniqueId . '" class="toggle">';
                echo '<label for="toggle-' . $uniqueId . '" class="category-label">' . htmlspecialchars($category) . ' <span class="expand-icon"></span></label>';
                echo '<ul class="subcategories">';
                foreach ($data['subcategories'] as $sub => $subData) {
                    echo '<li>' . htmlspecialchars($sub) . '</li>';
                }
                echo '</ul>';
            } else {
                echo htmlspecialchars($category);
            }
            echo '</li>';
        }
        echo '</ul>';
    }
}
?>

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<base href="https://gfy.com/" /><!--[if IE]></base><![endif]-->
<base href="https://gfy.com/" /><!--[if IE]></base><![endif]-->
<base href="https://gfy.com/" /><!--[if IE]></base><![endif]-->
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Categorized BISAC Dropdown</title>
    <style>
        .dropdown-container {
            width: 400px;
            border: 1px solid #ccc;
            padding: 10px;
            max-height: 500px;
            overflow-y: auto;
        }
        ul {
            list-style: none;
            padding-left: 0;
        }
        li {
            margin: 5px 0;
            position: relative;
        }
        .category-label {
            font-weight: bold;
            cursor: pointer;
            display: flex;
            justify-content: space-between;
            width: 100%;
        }
        .expand-icon {
            font-weight: bold;
            cursor: pointer;
            margin-left: 10px;
        }
        .toggle {
            display: none;
        }
        .toggle + .category-label + .subcategories {
            display: none;
        }
        .toggle:checked + .category-label + .subcategories {
            display: block;
        }
        .toggle + .category-label .expand-icon::before {
            content: " (+)";
        }
        .toggle:checked + .category-label .expand-icon::before {
            content: " (-)";
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class="dropdown-container">
        <ul>
            <?php foreach ($mainSections as $mainSection): ?>
                <li>
                    <input type="checkbox" id="toggle-<?php echo md5($mainSection); ?>" class="toggle">
                    <label for="toggle-<?php echo md5($mainSection); ?>" class="category-label"><?php echo htmlspecialchars($mainSection); ?> <span class="expand-icon"></span></label>
                    <?php if (!empty($categoryTree[$mainSection])): ?>
                        <ul class="subcategories">
                            <?php renderCategories($categoryTree[$mainSection]); ?>
                        </ul>
                    <?php endif; ?>
                </li>
            <?php endforeach; ?>
        </ul>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

Haha thanks but wasnt needed, that code above was the result of my throwing it through GPT to try and find the issue, I had my original code. It is quite shocking how much GPT messes with code sometimes

Appreciate the assistance though

awesome · 03-13-2025, 08:56 AM

That code looks like it's from 2004.

fris · 03-13-2025, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awesome

That code looks like it's from 2004.

<marquee>so true</marquee.

machinegunkelly · 03-14-2025, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fris

<marquee>so true</marquee.

it's cause it is:

Quote:

ChatGPT: This code makes use of the shorthand array syntax (using [] instead of array()), which was introduced in PHP 5.4. Although the code also uses features available in earlier versions—like the object-oriented mysqli interface—it’s the shorthand array notation that really pins it down. Therefore, it was most likely written for PHP 5.4

I cant imagine wasting time 'learning' this in 2025

but to each his own,

03-08-2025, 08:44 AM	#2
Publisher Bucks Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: New Orleans, Louisiana. / Newcastle, England. Posts: 1,111	Resolved this finally, it seems there was a hidden blank space in the SQL table data which was fucking things up __________________ NOTHING TO SEE HERE

03-09-2025, 01:00 AM	#3
machinegunkelly Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 3,276	what a waste of time lol you should look into churning butter.. since you're such a big fan of old tech __________________ dead.

03-09-2025, 02:48 PM	#4
fris Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 55,212	messy code :p __________________ Since 1999: 69 Adult Industry awards for Best Hosting Company and professional excellence. WP Stuff

03-13-2025, 08:56 AM	#9
awesome Administrator Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: https://gfy.dev Posts: 187	That code looks like it's from 2004. __________________ Stay up to date - https://gfy.com

03-10-2025, 07:15 AM	#5
mikeet this & that Industry Role: Join Date: May 2005 Location: Beer City Posts: 5,300	All im seeing is: Oh snap... Looks like another COVID-19 conspiracy took down this page... New World Order and Illuminati are real yo LOL