How to check if an array contains another array in PHP?

Question

I would have a rather simple question today. We have the following resource:

$a = array(1 => 5, 2 => 3, 3 => 13, 9 => array('test'), 4 => 32, 5 => 33);

How is it actually possible to find out if array "a" has an array element in it and return the key if there is one (or more)?

I would probably loop through it and test with is_array - capture the key, and return the keys when you're done — wribit
– wribit, Commented Feb 19, 2014 at 22:42

raina77ow · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-19 22:50:16Z

5

One possible approach:

function look_for_array(array $test_var) {
  foreach ($test_var as $key => $el) {
    if (is_array($el)) {
      return $key;
    }
  }
  return null;
}

It's rather trivial to convert this function into collecting all such keys:

function look_for_all_arrays(array $test_var) {
  $keys = [];
  foreach ($test_var as $key => $el) {
    if (is_array($el)) {
      $keys[] = $key;
    }
  }
  return $keys;
}

Demo.

edited Feb 19, 2014 at 22:50

answered Feb 19, 2014 at 22:43

raina77ow

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3 Comments

Radical_Activity Over a year ago

Yes, I've tried the same, but this way, I will receive Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() , because it's in the wrong format for the array one. I know I can just ignore it with @ but is there any other way around it?

raina77ow Over a year ago

Note that array typehint in the function's parameter. If you're not sure whether or not $test_var is an array, you should check it as well (with is_array) - but that probably means something else is wrong in your code.

Radical_Activity Over a year ago

Thank you I've found the issue in my code. The problem was that I've typed wrong some elements in the array actually. Thank you for the answer, I must by very tired that I've checked it multiple times and didn't see an error.

ZiupeX · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-19 22:44:43Z

0

 $array = array(1 => 5, 2 => 3, 3 => 13, 9 => array('test'), 4 => 32, 5 => 33);
 foreach($array as $key => $value){
   if(is_Array($value)){
      echo $value[key($value)];
   }
 }

answered Feb 19, 2014 at 22:44

ZiupeX

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Comments

Mubo · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-19 23:06:11Z

0

I have tried in different way.

$a = array(1 => 5, 2 => 3, 3 => 13, 9 => array('test'), 4 => 32, 5 => 33);

foreach ( $a as $aas  ):

        if(is_array($aas)){
            foreach ($aas as $key => $value):
                echo " (child array is this $key : $value)";
        endforeach;
        }else{
                echo " Value of array a = $aas : ";


        }
  endforeach;

output is like :

  Value of array a = 5 : Value of array a = 3 :
 Value of array a = 13 : (child array is this 0 :
 test) Value of array a = 32 : Value of array a = 33 :

answered Feb 19, 2014 at 23:06

Mubo

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