How To Loop Through Two Lists? - list

Question

I need to join the output of two separate lists together to output in a CFMAIL, and I'm wondering what the best way to approach this is.
I have two form fields: first_name and last_name
The fields have up to 5 names in each. I need to loop through those names and join the first and last names, then output them to unordered list. I am having trouble visualizing what the right approach to accomplish this is.
Can someone suggest a method in CFML (I don't know CFSCRIPT very well).
Thanks!
EDIT: I should have added that both fields will always have the exact same number of entries. Thanks to all that answered -- proof that there are a lot of ways to skin a cat :)

Answer 1

I would do something like
<cfloop from="1" to="#ListLen(firstnames)#" index="i">
#ListGetAt(firstnames,i)# #ListGetAt(lastnames,i)#<br>
</cfloop>
If this were a list of 5000 you would be better off putting it in a structure or an array, but for a list of ~5 this should be sufficient.

Answer 2

I think this would be the easiest way to accomplish this.
<!--- Create a names container --->
<cfset names = "<ul>">
<!--- Fill some dummy containers --->
<cfset first = "thomas,henry,philip,john,rony">
<cfset last = "smith,baker,crowe,ryan,jones">
<!--- Loop through the lists and append them to the container string --->
<cfloop index="name" to="#listLen(first)#" from="1">
<cfset names &= "<li>" & ListGetAt(first,name) & " " & ListGetAt(last,name) & "</li>">
</cfloop>
<cfset names &= "</ul>">
<cfoutput>#names#</cfoutput>

Answer 3

I would add in a check to make sure that your list values exists at each index, otherwise you will get errors. I would also add in a check to loop through whichever list is greater so that you get all values just in case someone doesn't enter exactly 5 in both:
<Cfset firstnames="Matt,Ian,Brandon,Sam,Tom">
<cfset lastnames="Jones,Smith,Weiss">
<!--- SEE WHICH LIST IS LONGER AND SET THAT AS THE ONE THAT WE WILL USE FOR THE LOOP --->
<cfif ListLen(firstnames) gte ListLen(lastnames)>
<cfset primary=firstnames>
<cfelse>
<cfset primary=lastnames>
</cfif>
<cfset myOutput="<ul>">
<cfloop from="1" to="#ListLen(primary)#" index="i">
<Cfset myOutput &= "<li>">
<cfif ListLen(firstnames) gte i>
<cfset myOutput &= ListGetAt(firstnames,i)>
</cfif>
<cfif ListLen(lastnames) gte i>
<cfset myOutput &= " " & ListGetAt(lastnames,i)>
</cfif>
<Cfset myOutput &= "</li>">
</cfloop>
<Cfset myOutput &= "</ul>">
<cfoutput>#myOutput#</cfoutput>

Answer 4

You could use the "list" attribute with CFLOOP although it means combining list functions within the output. Here is an example though of how it could be done and it makes the assumption the two lists will always have the same lengths. If these names are keyed in by users then I might be afraid of if they put in a comma since that would throw things off with any sort of looping.
<cfset lstFirstNames = "John,Bob,Tom,Jeff" />
<cfset lstLastNames = "Smith,Doe,Rodriguez,Horan" />
<cfloop list="#Variables.lstFirstNames#" index="FirstName" />
#FirstName# #ListGetAt(Variables.LastNames, ListFind(Variables.lstFirstNames, FirstName))#<br />
</cfloop>

Answer 5

try:
<cfset lstFirstNames = "John,Bob,Tom,Jeff" />
<cfset lstLastNames = "Smith,Doe,Rodriguez,Horan" />
<cfloop list="#Variables.lstFirstNames#" index="FirstName">
<cfoutput>#FirstName# #ListGetAt(Variables.lstLastNames, ListFind(Variables.lstFirstNames, FirstName))#</cfoutput><br />
</cfloop>