How to sort JSON with multiple conditions using PHP?

Question

I have some JSON data that I have sorted by "sites" using usort

    usort($data,function($a,$b) {
    return strnatcasecmp($a['site'],$b['site']);
  });

Which results in the following

Array (
    [0] => Array
        (
            [time] => 2017-07-15 15:43:45
            [user] => ast125
            [site] => facebook
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [time] => 2017-07-12 04:59:11
            [user] => ast111
            [site] => facebook
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [time] => 2017-07-19 12:45:14
            [user] => ast133
            [site] => facebook
        )

    [3] => Array
        (
            [time] => 2017-07-19 12:45:14
            [user] => ast133
            [site] => google
        )

    [4] => Array
        (
            [time] => 2017-07-19 12:45:14
            [user] => ast125
            [site] => facebook

        )

.... and so on

I'm stuck because now I'm not sure how to approach sorting the users per site. Right now, the order is

facebook - ast125

facebook - ast111

facebook - ast133

google - ast133

google - ast125

But I would like the users to be sorted while in their site group

facebook - ast111

facebook - ast125

facebook - ast133

google - ast125

google - ast133

Right now, I am considering breaking the JSON array into multiple arrays (by site), and then sort the new site array by users, and then merge them back into one...

Is there an easier way for me to approach this using usort or another PHP function?

stackoverflow.com/a/44835882/2734189

Don't Panic
– Don't Panic

2019-03-07 21:30:14 +00:00
Commented Mar 7, 2019 at 21:30 — Don't Panic
– Don't Panic, Commented Mar 7, 2019 at 21:30

score 1 · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-07 21:32:22Z

1

Is there an easier way for me to approach this using usort or another PHP function?

Certainly.

usort($data, function(array $a, array $b) : int {
    return strcasecmp($a['site'], $b['site']) ?: strcasecmp($a['user'], $b['user']);
});

(Demo this online)

When $a and $b differ in 'site', the first strcasecmp() will return a nonzero value, so that value will be used. When they are identical, the first strcasecmp() will return 0, which is treated as false, so the ?: operator will use the result of the second comparison.

This pattern can be chained to an arbitrary number of comparisons.

edited Mar 7, 2019 at 21:32

answered Mar 7, 2019 at 20:54

user149341

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2 Comments

Drew Over a year ago

Hmm, another question.. how would I go about adding another condition? Once the sites are sorted, then users are sorted, I'd like the users:site sorted by time

user149341 Over a year ago

Throw another ?: comparison() onto the end of the statement. If you want to compare numbers, use $b["property"] - $a["property"].

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