I am new to API integration and PHP. I recently integrated a VIN decoder into my app. Enter a vehicle's VIN into the input box, select submit, and all information regarding that vehicle from the API's database is presented.
The data is stored as an associative array, with categories and their corresponding elements. For example for VIN: WAUBFAFL6FA058452 one of the categories is Make and its element is Audi.
Some VIN's carry more data with them than others. I only wanted the categories with data to show up upon selecting submit. So with some help, I added this line of code:
foreach ($json['Results'][0] as $k => $v){
if (!empty($v)) {
$results .= ($k).": ".($v).'<br />';
}
}
My next hurdle is taking the output, the categories and their elements, and organizing/formatting them while keeping the logic I defined above. I only want the categories with data to show up.
I am not sure how to target single categories to format them. Currently, the output is presented in alphabetical order. I want to define my own output layout.
Current Output:
AirBagLocCurtain: All Rows
AirBagLocFront: 1st Row (Driver & Passenger)
AirBagLocSide: 1st Row (Driver & Passenger)
BodyClass: Sedan/Saloon
DisplacementCC: 1984
DisplacementCI: 121.071108283
DisplacementL: 1.984000
And so on....
How can I change this layout? I am looking to change the output layout to something like the following.
Desired Output:
VIN: WAUBFAFL6FA058452
General –
Make: AUDI
ModelYear: 2015
Model: A4
BodyClass: Sedan/Saloon
Doors: 4
Series: Premium quattro
VehicleType: PASSENGER CAR
Safety -
AirBagLocCurtain: All Rows
AirBagLocFront: 1st Row (Driver & Passenger)
AirBagLocSide: 1st Row (Driver & Passenger)
SeatBeltsAll: Manual
Engine -
DisplacementCC: 1984
DisplacementCI: 121.071108283
DisplacementL: 1.984000
EngineCylinders: 4
EngineHP: 220
EngineKW: 164.0540
EngineManufacturer: Audi
EngineModel: Flex Fuel Capable engine
TransmissionStyle: Automatic
OtherEngineInfo: Fuel: Gas (50-St); Federal / California Emission Standard: BIN 5 / ULEV II; Emissions Certification Test Group: FVGAV02.0AUB / FVGAJ02.0AUF E85
FuelTypePrimary: Gasoline
FuelTypeSecondary: Ethanol (E85)
Factory -
Manufacturer: AUDI
ManufacturerId: 1149
PlantCity: Ingolstadt
PlantCountry: Germany
Other -
ErrorCode: 0 - VIN decoded clean. Check Digit (9th position) is correct
TPMS: Indirect
Here is my html code, just the input bar and submit button:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>VIN Decoder API Test</title>
<style type="text/css">
input,button {width: 200px;display: block;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;}
button {width: 100px;background-color: darkgray;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<form action="processvin3.php" method="post">
<input type="text" id="b12" placeholder="Enter VIN" name="b12" maxlength="100"/>
<br>
<button id="submit_btn">Submit</button>
</form>
<br>
<br>
</body>
</html>And my php code:
<?php
$vin = $_POST["b12"];
if ($vin) {
$postdata = http_build_query([
'format' => 'json',
'data' => $vin
]
);
$opts = [
'http' => [
'method' => 'POST',
'content' => $postdata
]
];
$apiURL = "https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/vehicles/DecodeVINValuesBatch/";
$context = stream_context_create($opts);
$fp = fopen($apiURL, 'rb', false, $context);
$line_of_text = fgets($fp);
$json = json_decode($line_of_text, true);
fclose($fp);
foreach ($json['Results'][0] as $k => $v){
if (!empty($v)) {
$results .= ($k).": ".($v).'<br />';
}
}
echo $results;
}
else {
echo 'No Vin Inputted';
}
?>Any suggestions, tips, or answers are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.
</div>
