Question

I have a foreach loop and I need to identify the position of the single items. The items are always 9. I use this code. Someone has a more elegant solution?

<?php
    foreach( $fruit as $key => $apple ); 
?>
    <li class="<?php if( ($key == 0) || ($key == 3) || ($key == 6) ) echo 'first'; if( ($key == 1) || ($key == 4) || ($key == 7) ) echo 'middle'; if( ($key == 2) || ($key == 5) || ($key == 8) ) echo 'last'; ?>"
          //stuff
     </li>
<?php endforeach; ?>

Answer 1

As per commented request though PHP is a language I’ve done little more than potter with

<?php foreach( $fruit as $key => $apple ); ?>
      <?php $position = $key % 3; ?>     
    <li class="<?php if( $position == 0) echo 'first'; 
                     if( $position == 1) echo 'middle'; 
                     if( $position == 2) echo 'last'; ?>"
          //stuff
     </li>
<?php endforeach; ?>

% is the remainder from integer division

0 / 3 = 0 remainder 0
1 / 3 = 0 remainder 1
2 / 3 = 0 remainder 2
3 / 3 = 1 remainder 0
...
8 / 3 = 2 remainder 2