Update array from variable

Question

I have the 'path' to an array value stored in a variable, and I am trying to set the value. What I am trying to do is this:

$array['Breaks'][1]['In'] = "XXX";

However, I have ['Breaks'][1]['In'] stored in a variable. So I am essentially trying to do something like this:

$path = "['Breaks'][1]['In']";
$array.$path = "XXX";

This doesn't work though, and I'm not exactly sure how to go about making this work correctly.

Any suggestions?

You could try to parse $path and then cycle through the parsed values to set the value. — Joshua Dwire
– Joshua Dwire, Commented Nov 2, 2012 at 20:24
Why do you have ['Breaks'][1]['In'] in a variable? Related: meta.stackexchange.com/questions/66377/what-is-the-xy-problem — PeeHaa
– PeeHaa, Commented Nov 2, 2012 at 20:26
I am using AJAX to dynamically update values in a large array. It POSTs the data, and this is POSTed to my update script to be able to select and modify the data. — Devin
– Devin, Commented Nov 2, 2012 at 20:28
Uhhu. And why do you have ['Breaks'][1]['In'] in a variable again? — PeeHaa
– PeeHaa, Commented Nov 2, 2012 at 20:30

Jammerx2 · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-02 21:14:07Z

2

As long as the path string is not modifiable by users or parsed through previously you could just do:

eval("\$array".$path." = 'Value';");

answered Nov 2, 2012 at 21:14

Jammerx2

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Teena Thomas · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-02 20:30:51Z

1

Try doing this,

//This solution works if you are sure the length of $path_arr is going to be 3
$path = "['Breaks'][1]['In']";
$path_arr = explode(']', str_replace(array("['", "'", "["), '', $path)); 

$array[$path_arr[0]][$path_arr[1]][$path_arr[2]] = "XXX";
var_dump($array);

Demo

answered Nov 2, 2012 at 20:30

Teena Thomas

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1 Comment

Devin Over a year ago

Thank you! Simple, and works, just as I asked. Appreciate it.

Nick · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-02 20:26:25Z

1

Try extracting each component of the $path variable into its own variable, or into an array ($pathArray below). So, if you had $pathArray[0] set to 'Breaks', $pathArray[1] set to 1, etc., you could do something like:

$array[$pathArray[0]][$[pathArray[1]][$[pathArray[2]] = "XXX";

Although this seems like an unusual way to go about things, and it might be worth re-thinking your approach entirely.

answered Nov 2, 2012 at 20:26

Nick

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