Dynamically update php array with unknown number of nestings

Question

I have a php array that stores other nested arrays. The data to be inserted into the array is sent as "a_b_c_x", "a_b_c_y", "a_b_c_z_p", "a_b_d", etc. the four strings mentioned above need to the stored in an array as:

[
  a = [
    b = [
      c = [
        x = [],
        y = [],
        z = [
          p = []
        ]
      ],
      d = []
    ] 
  ]
]

The array can have unknown number of nestings. I need to parse the string to search for existing keys and add new ones. I tried something like:

foreach($productConfigurationAdd as $toAdd) {
    $addArray = explode('_', $toAdd);

    $addTo = &$savedConfigurations;

    foreach($addArray as $addElem) {
        if(array_search($addElem, $addTo) === false) {
            $addTo[$addElem] = [];
            $addTo = &$addTo[$addElem];
        }
        else {
            $addTo = &$addTo[$addElem];
        }
    }
}

and it is only saving the first children of each block. Please let me know what is going wrong here.

Edit:

In the above code, $savedConfigurations is the array that is obtained from the database and if the add string contains new configurations, it is stored in $savedConfigurations as mentioned in the question.

You have to create a recursive function. Because you ve got X depht. — Alexandre Painchaud
– Alexandre Painchaud, Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 9:25
Sorry, there was a mistake in the code. I used "array_search", while i was supposed to use "array_key_exists". — Debopam Parua
– Debopam Parua, Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 10:26

Rei · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-26 18:34:45Z

The solution for this is quite simple. No need for a recursive function.

Simply create a reference of the array key in succession and assign the value in the end.

function put(&$var, $path, $value) {
    foreach(explode('_', $path) as $p) $var =& $var[$p];
    $var = $value;
}

Usage example:

$data = [];

put($data, 'a_b_c_x', 'foo');
put($data, 'a_b_c_y', 'bar');
put($data, 'a_b_c_z_p', [123]);
put($data, 'a_b_d', 456.789);

print_r($data);

Output:

Array
(
    [a] => Array
        (
            [b] => Array
                (
                    [c] => Array
                        (
                            [x] => foo
                            [y] => bar
                            [z] => Array
                                (
                                    [p] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => 123
                                        )

                                )

                        )

                    [d] => 456.789
                )

        )

)

See it in action at https://3v4l.org/Q7SIq

Agnius Vasiliauskas · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-27 12:11:13Z

1

Cool question. I would write such recursive function:

function array_put(&$array, $path, $value, $ix = 0) {
 $path_ex = explode('_', $path);
 if ($ix == count($path_ex) - 1) {
  $array[$path_ex[$ix]] = $value;
  return;
 }
 else {
  array_put($array[$path_ex[$ix]], $path, $value, $ix+1);
 }
}

$data = [];
array_put($data, 'a_b_c_x', 'test');
array_put($data, 'a_b_c_y', []);
array_put($data, 'a_b_c_z_p', 123);
array_put($data, 'a_b_d', null);

var_dump($data);

Try it online!

answered Jul 27, 2018 at 12:11

Agnius Vasiliauskas

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Comments

Debopam Parua · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-27 10:27:35Z

0

Sorry, there was a stupid mistake in the code. I used "array_search", while i was supposed to use "array_key_exists".

answered Jul 27, 2018 at 10:27

Debopam Parua

5401 gold badge5 silver badges24 bronze badges

1 Comment

Debopam Parua Over a year ago

Yes it does. Thank you.

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