Unable to populate select list with correct values from array.

HI,
I am obviously very challenged with objects/arrays and am having another issue that I've tried about a thousand combinations to make work but still not working.

My goal is to populate a select list from a table column. I get very close but just can't get the syntax right no matter what I try.

Doing a var_dump of the data I'm trying to extract the values from I get this (which is expected):
array(11) { [0]=> object(stdClass)#625 (2) { ["group"]=> string(13) "payment_types" ["values"]=> string(32) "["Monthly","Bi-weekly","Weekly"]" } [1]=> object(stdClass)#626 (2) { ["group"]=> string(11) "drive_types" ["values"]=> string(77) "["Front Wheel Drive","Rear Wheel Drive","All Wheel Drive","Four Wheel Drive"]" } [2]=> object(stdClass)#627 (2) { ["group"]=> string(10) "warranties" ["values"]=> string(95) "["Remainder of Factory Warranty","Has Extended Warranty","Warranty is Available","No Warranty"]" } [3]=> object(stdClass)#628 (2) { ["group"]=> string(5) "gears" ["values"]=> string(82) "["3 Speed","4 Speed","5 Speed","6 Speed","7 Speed","8 Speed","9 Speed","10 Speed"]" } [4]=> object(stdClass)#629 (2) { ["group"]=> string(10) "fuel_types" ["values"]=> string(168) "{"Gasoline Fuel":"Gas","Diesel Fuel":"Diesel","Hybrid Fuel":"Hybrid","Flex Fuel Capability":"Flex Fuel Capable","Electric Fuel":"Electric","Propane Fuel":"Natural Gas"}" } [5]=> object(stdClass)#630 (2) { ["group"]=> string(18) "transmission_types" ["values"]=> string(40) "["Automatic","Manual","TipTronic","CVT"]" } [6]=> object(stdClass)#631 (2) { ["group"]=> string(6) "extras" ["values"]=> string(78) "["4x4","AWD","Turbo","Convertible","Cabriolet","Quattro","TDI","Supercharged"]" } [7]=> object(stdClass)#632 (2) { ["group"]=> string(9) "condition" ["values"]=> string(35) "["Excellent","Good","Fair","As Is"]" } [8]=> object(stdClass)#633 (2) { ["group"]=> string(10) "truck_cabs" ["values"]=> string(271) "["Regular Cab","Extended Cab","Crew Cab","--- Ford Specific ---","Super Cab","SuperCrew","--- Dodge Specific ---","Quad Cab","Mega Cab","--- Mazda Specific ---","Cab Plus","--- Nissan Specific ---","King Cab","--- Toyota Specific ---","Access Cab","Double Cab","CrewMax"]" } [9]=> object(stdClass)#634 (2) { ["group"]=> string(21) "vehicle_option_groups" ["values"]=> string(81) "["Comfort","Convenience","Entertainment","Safety","Exterior","Truck, Van & Jeep"]" } [10]=> object(stdClass)#635 (2) { ["group"]=> string(10) "passengers" ["values"]=> string(52) "["1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","11","12"]" } }

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The particular select list I'm trying to populate is for 'Passenger Capacity' which is the last in the dump.

When I do the following in an effort to populate my select list I get this as a result:

sample pic of select list
To get it to populate like the sample pic, the code I'm using is:
@foreach ($configuration as $passengers)
<option  value="{{ $passengers->values }}" > {{ $passengers->values }}</option>
@endforeach

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Can you see what I should be doing to drill down to the passanger capacity values and input them into the select?

Thanks as always. I very much appreciate the help.
LVL 1
tjyoungAsked:
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Kim WalkerWeb Programmer/TechnicianCommented:
Doing a var_dump of the data I'm trying to extract the values from I get this...
Is the "data you're trying to extract" in the variable $configuration? In other words, is the var_dump you posted in your question the result of 
var_dump($configuration);

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If so, $configuration contains an array of objects, each object contains two key->value pairs (group and values) and each value is a string. I believe you've already received help in converting the values string into an array.

So the first step is to iterate through the $configuration array and look for the object which has a group value of passengers 
foreach ($configuration as $group) {
	if ($group->group === "passengers") {
		// convert the values string into an array and
		// iterate through this array to echo an option for each value
	}
}

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tjyoungAuthor Commented:
Yes thats totally correct.
But after
if ($group->group === "passengers") {
I can't see how to get the second step? I see I'm checking if the group is "passengers'.
Now that it is, how do I refer to it?

Sorry being a newbie is painful :)
tjyoungAuthor Commented:
Hi, after much suffering I figured it out lol

I can output the correct variables using standard php conditional statements ie:

<select data-placeholder="Choose cab style..."  class="select" name="cab_style" id="cab_style" >
	@if(!isset($vehicle->cab_style))
		<option></option>
	@endif
	
	<?php 
		foreach ($configuration as $group) {
			if($group->group === "truck_cabs"){
				$cabs = json_decode(($group->values));
					for ($i = 0; $i < count($cabs); ++$i) {
						echo "<option  value='$cabs[$i]'> $cabs[$i]</option>";
					}
				}
			}
	?>
</select>

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But doing the same thing the laravel blade way I get $cabs variable isn't defined. I have a few of these type of arrays so was hoping to keep to the blade method throughout.
Any idea what the difference may be? Also if you see a better 'condensed' version to get there, please let me know. Thanks very much!

<select data-placeholder="Choose cab style..."  class="select" name="cab_style" id="cab_style" >
	@if(!isset($vehicle->cab_style))
		<option></option>
	@endif

	@foreach ($configuration as $group)
		@unless($group->group === "truck_cabs")
			$cabs = json_decode(($group->values))
				@for ($i = 0; $i < count($cabs); ++$i)
				<option  value='{{ $cabs[$i] }}'> {{ $cabs[$i] }}</option>
				@endfor
		@endunless
	@endforeach
</select>

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Kim WalkerWeb Programmer/TechnicianCommented:
This is extremely complex for a "newbie." And your data isn't really conducive for this type of manipulation. Or is your data a database query result? If so, there are better ways to navigate through them. Is $configuration the result of a database query? If so, we need to change gears here -- please post the line of code that begins with or contains "$configuration=".
tjyoungAuthor Commented:
the pointer got me going along the right direction and way of thinking. Many thanks
Kim WalkerWeb Programmer/TechnicianCommented:
Sorry, I am not familiar with Laravel Blade. I was not aware that they do not use PHP.
tjyoungAuthor Commented:
Hi, yes the configuration is the result of a database query.
Configuration is one of the objects I'm passing back from my laravel controller. It's saved in the database that way.

Here is a screen shot of that table:
the format/data is 'adopted' from an earlier version of the site. The table are general configuration settings for various fields
table
They are used to populate various select menus etc. for a used car inventory form
tjyoungAuthor Commented:
Being that these values seldom change, is there a better way I should store the values so I can step through them easier in the form layout? I also just noticed the gas values aren't saved exactly the same...
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