How to detect similar values in an array?

Question

Say I have a list of genres that looks something like:

$genres = array(
    'soul', 
    'soul jazz', 
    'blues', 
    'jazz blues', 
    'rock', 
    'indie', 
    'cool jazz', 
    'rock-blues');

...And so on, for 762 values. How can I organize these genres into categories?

For example, I would want the Blues category to contain 'blues', 'jazz blues', and 'rock blues.' I would want the Jazz category to contain 'soul jazz', 'jazz blues', and 'cool jazz.'

Any and all help is appreciated.

Can you elaborate how you get this array? Is this from a database? — Machavity
– Machavity ♦, Commented Dec 27, 2013 at 1:30

score 1 · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-27 02:26:22Z

1

Using preg_match would be one the best ways to solve your problem.

<?php
$categories = array("blues", "jazz");
$genres = array("soul", "soul jazz", "blues", "jazz blues", "rock", "indie", "cool jazz", "rock-blues");
$arr = array();
$others = array();
foreach($genres as $genre){
$num = 0;
    foreach($categories as $category){
        if(preg_match("/\\b".$category."\\b/", $genre)){
        $arr[$category][] = $genre;
        $num = 1;
        }
    }
    if($num == 0){
    $others[] = $genre;
    }
}
ksort($arr);
$arr["others"] = $others;
unset($genre, $num, $category, $others);
print_r($arr);
?>

The result will be:

Array
(
    [blues] => Array
        (
            [0] => blues
            [1] => jazz blues
            [2] => rock-blues
        )

    [jazz] => Array
        (
            [0] => soul jazz
            [1] => jazz blues
            [2] => cool jazz
        )

    [others] => Array
        (
            [0] => soul
            [1] => rock
            [2] => indie
        )

)

edited Dec 27, 2013 at 2:26

answered Dec 27, 2013 at 1:53

user2680766

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1 Comment

lingu Over a year ago

As much as I dislike using regex, I actually got this one to work exactly how I desired. Thank you, Sharanya

dynamic · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-27 02:00:58Z

1

Given some seeds:

$seeds = array('blues','jazz',...);

Then just compute its nearest:

foreach($genres as $v) {
 $similarity = 0;
 $k = 0;
 foreach($seeds as $kk=>$vv) {
     $current = similar_text($v,$vv);
     if ($current>$similarity) {
        $similarity = $current;
        $k=$kk;
     }
  }
 $categories[$k][]=$v;

}

At this point you have your $geners labled in $categories;

Array
(
    [blues] => Array
        (
            [0] => soul
            [1] => blues
            [2] => jazz blues
            [3] => rock
            [4] => indie
            [5] => rock-blues
        )

    [jazz] => Array
        (
            [0] => soul jazz
            [1] => cool jazz
        )

)

Tested code at codepad: http://codepad.org/HCPcO4Iy

PS. clearly if you have those two seeds (blues and jeez) and then you have to cluster the genre "jeez blues" then it might be assigned to one or to the other without any logic

edited Dec 27, 2013 at 2:00

answered Dec 27, 2013 at 1:33

dynamic

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4 Comments

Stoic Over a year ago

the solution is based on the $similarity level, and therefore, clues may get included in the blues category, which will be much dearer to this function than jazz blues

lingu Over a year ago

@Stoic: That is actually something I want. Testing this out now

dynamic Over a year ago

@stoic: if that's the problem, you only need to use another function instead of similar_text to get the similarity that you want more...

Stoic Over a year ago

@link: removed the downvote since OP states, he wants the same. probably, I misinterpreted the question. sorry, about that, and upvoted for reminding me about similar_text :)

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