Why Am I Getting a Fatal Error with the \'[]\' Operator During Database Updates?

Fatal Error While Updating Database: Unraveling the "[]" Operator Issue

Your database update query has encountered an issue with the [] operator, triggering a fatal error. The [] syntax, primarily intended for array manipulation, becomes incompatible when applied to strings. Understanding this error is crucial for resolving the problem successfully.

Root of the Error

The fatal error arises when you attempt to use the [] operator to access or modify a string value. In this instance, it's likely that one or more of your variables ($name, $date, $text, $date2) were initialized as strings instead of arrays. Consequently, the query fails to execute correctly.

Corrective Actions

To rectify the issue, ensure that these variables are not treated as arrays. Adjust your variable assignments to:

$name = $row['name'];
$date = $row['date'];
$text = $row['text'];
$date2 = $row['date2'];

Background on PHP 7

PHP 7 has implemented stricter controls regarding the empty-index array push syntax. This prevents using the [] operator on variables that are not arrays, such as strings, numbers, and objects. Hence, attempting to do so will result in a fatal error.

Examples

To avoid such errors, remember that the following actions are acceptable:

• Creating an array and adding an entry: $previouslyUndeclaredVariableName[] = 'value'
• Pushing an entry into an existing array: $emptyArray[] = 'value'

However, the following actions will trigger errors:

• Using [] operator on a string: $declaredAsString[] = 'value'
• Using [] operator on a number: $declaredAsNumber[] = 'value'
• Using [] operator on an object: $declaredAsObject[] = 'value'

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