Select specific key from array

Question

I have an array, and I would like to select one specif value from it.

I have a function that retrieves some api data and puts in in an this array.

The function is as follows;

function get_patronapi_data($id) {
    $apiurl = APISERVER . "/PATRONAPI/$id/dump";
    $api_contents = get_api_contents($apiurl); //get_api_contents() is a seperate function
    $api_array_lines = explode("\n", $api_contents);

        foreach ($api_array_lines as $key => $api_line) {
            $api_line_arr = explode("=", $api_line);
            $regex_match = array("/\[(.*?)\]/","/\s/","/#/");
            $regex_replace = array('','','NUM');
            $key = trim(preg_replace($regex_match, $regex_replace, $api_line_arr[0]));
            $api_data[$key] = trim($api_line_arr[1]);    
        }
    return $api_data;
}

$return_value = get_patronapi_data($id);

When I var_dump($api_array_lines) I get the following;

array(38) {
  [0]=>
  string(14) "REC INFO[p!]=p"
  [1]=>
  string(22) "EXP DATE[p43]=31-12-19"
  [2]=>
  string(13) "PCODE1[p44]=-"
  [3]=>
  string(13) "PCODE2[p45]=-"
  [4]=>
  string(14) "PCODE3[p46]=58"
  [5]=>
  string(14) "P TYPE[p47]=10"
  [6]=>
  string(17) "TOT CHKOUT[p48]=0"
  [7]=>
  string(17) "TOT RENWAL[p49]=0"
  [8]=>
  string(17) "CUR CHKOUT[p50]=0"
  [9]=>
  string(26) "BIRTH DATE[p51]=  -  -19  "
  [10]=>
  string(20) "HOME LIBR[p53]=qm   "
  [11]=>
  string(15) "PMESSAGE[p54]=-"
  [12]=>
  string(13) "MBLOCK[p56]=-"
  [13]=>
  string(15) "REC TYPE[p80]=p"
  [14]=>
  string(21) "RECORD #[p81]=1083177"
  [15]=>
  string(17) "REC LENG[p82]=300"
  [16]=>
  string(21) "CREATED[p83]=01-10-12"
  [17]=>
  string(21) "UPDATED[p84]=08-10-15"
  [18]=>
  string(19) "REVISIONS[p85]=1091"
  [19]=>
  string(13) "AGENCY[p86]=1"
  [20]=>
  string(15) "CL RTRND[p95]=0"
  [21]=>
  string(22) "MONEY OWED[p96]=£0.00"
  [22]=>
  string(17) "CUR ITEMA[p102]=0"
  [23]=>
  string(17) "CUR ITEMB[p103]=0"
  [24]=>
  string(18) "ILL REQUES[p122]=0"
  [25]=>
  string(17) "CUR ITEMC[p124]=0"
  [26]=>
  string(17) "CUR ITEMD[p125]=0"
  [27]=>
  string(25) "CIRCACTIVE[p163]=08-10-15"
  [28]=>
  string(19) "NOTICE PREF[p268]=-"
  [29]=>
  string(34) "PATRN NAME[pn]=Smith, Mr Jo"
  [30]=>
  string(31) "PATRN NAME[pn]=Smith, Jo"
  [31]=>
  string(69) "ADDRESS[pa]=IT"
  [32]=>
  string(18) "TELEPHONE[pt]=6167865"
  [33]=>
  string(21) "UNIQUE ID[pu]=678678678"
  [34]=>
  string(21) "P BARCODE[pb]=456456"
  [35]=>
  string(22) "P BARCODE[pb]=345345"
  [36]=>
  string(33) "EMAIL ADDR[pz][email protected]"
  [37]=>
  string(12) "TITLE[pe]=Mr"
}

The only value I require from the array is EXP DATE (everything after the = sign) - this value is not always at position [1] - how can I select only this value?

Does it require additional regex or does my function need changed?

I must say I didn't write the above code I got it from here.

Quite new to php here and teaching myself so any help is greatly appreciated.

Ben · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-08 12:19:21Z

1

Clunky but would work:

foreach($api_array_lines as $line){ // go through each item in the array
    if(strpos($line, "EXP DATE") !== false){ //if the string "EXP DATE" DOES NOT exist in the string "$line", it will return false
        $data = explode("=", $line); //split the string into an array, split by the character "="
        echo $data[1]; //return the second element in array ($data[0] would be "EXP DATE"
    }
}

Or as a function:

function getLineData($array, $keyword){
    foreach($array as $line){
        if(strpos($line, $keyword) !== false){
            $data = explode("=", $line);
            return $data[1];
        }
    }
}

$data_you_require = getLineData($api_array_lines, "EXP DATE");
echo $data_you_require; //outputs 31-12-19

edited Oct 8, 2015 at 12:19

answered Oct 8, 2015 at 11:47

Ben

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3 Comments

jonboy Over a year ago

That works! Can you briefly explain what I was doing wrong or how you corrected it as I would like to learn! Thanks again. Decided to use your first suggestion not the function.

Ben Over a year ago

@johnny_s Don't forget to mark it as the answer if it worked!

jonboy Over a year ago

Was just about to - perfect answer and thanks for the explanation! :)

james sloan · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-08 12:20:02Z

1

I'm making a big assumption that every line has "=" and that the values in the brackets "[p43]" are always the same for the key.

Move the simple array to an indexed array:

$new_array = array();    
foreach ($api_array_lines as $line) {
    list($key, $value) = explode('=',$line);
    $new_array[$key]=$value;
}

Then reference the key you need:

$key_to_find = 'EXP DATE[p43]';
echo $new_array[$key_to_find];

answered Oct 8, 2015 at 12:20

james sloan

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1 Comment

jonboy Over a year ago

Thanks James. I have already accepted an answer but thanks for the alternative suggestion! +1

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