fetch values from array within an array

Question

I have a multidimensional array, i wish to extract each value from this array. The array is stored in $data.

{"success":true,"categories":
    [
        {"
            category_id":"C1",
            "parent_id":"P1",
            "name":"N1",
            "categories":
                [
                    {
                        "category_id":"C11",
                        "parent_id":"P11",
                        "name":"N11",
                    },
                    {
                        "category_id":"C12",
                        "parent_id":"P12",
                        "name":"N12",

                    },
                ],
            "status":"1"
        },

        {
            category_id":"C2",
            "parent_id":"P2",
            "name":"N2",
            "categories":
                [
                    {
                        "category_id":"C21",
                        "parent_id":"P21",
                        "name":"N21",
                            [
                                {
                                    "category_id":"C22",
                                    "parent_id":"P23",
                                    "name":"N24",
                                }
                            ],
                        "status":"2"
                    }
                ],
            "status":"3"
        },
    ]
}

I tried using

$total = $data['categories']['category_id'];

to fetch value C11

but wasn't able to do so.

can anyone tell how i can fetch all the data especially C22

@Feroz Akbar i don't know much about json, can u plz tell me how i can decode it — Sam
– Sam, Commented Feb 11, 2015 at 8:02
every time you see a { it means an object and every [ means an array. So you were missing the array part [0]. To access each element you can use a recursive function that drills down to each element. — satchcoder
– satchcoder, Commented Feb 11, 2015 at 8:05

Antony D'Andrea · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-11 08:20:33Z

2

You have to first use json_decode.

$array = json_decode($data, true);

Then you can access the array as you have stated. Or loop throught the categories:

if (!empty($array)) {
    foreach ($array['categories'] as $category) {
        echo $category['id'];
    }
}

You may have to do this recursively to loop through the categories within the categories. But it depends completely what you want to achieve. A nested loop could do the job if it is always just one level deep.

EDIT

The JSON you have provided is not quite right, I have given a corrected one below:

{
"success": true,
"categories": [
    {
        "category_id": "C1",
        "parent_id": "P1",
        "name": "N1",
        "categories": [
            {
                "category_id": "C11",
                "parent_id": "P11",
                "name": "N11"
            },
            {
                "category_id": "C12",
                "parent_id": "P12",
                "name": "N12"
            }
        ],
        "status": "1"
    },
    {
        "category_id": "C2",
        "parent_id": "P2",
        "name": "N2",
        "categories": [
            {
                "category_id": "C21",
                "parent_id": "P21",
                "name": "N21",
                "categories": [
                    {
                        "category_id": "C22",
                        "parent_id": "P23",
                        "name": "N24"
                    }
                ],
                "status": "2"
            }
        ],
        "status": "3"
    }
]
}

There were a few trailing commas and missing quote marks.

edited Feb 11, 2015 at 8:20

answered Feb 11, 2015 at 8:04

Antony D'Andrea

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2 Comments

Sam Over a year ago

thanks i was able to convert it to array. but in the loop i got an error Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach(). an u plz look into it

Antony D'Andrea Over a year ago

Your json is not valid, I have corrected it and added it to the answer

abhishekiiit · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-11 08:10:05Z

0

The data is not in PHP array, its a JSON array. You have to decode it, by using json_decode() function.

answered Feb 11, 2015 at 8:10

abhishekiiit

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Comments

mparafiniuk · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-11 08:03:40Z

-1

That's JSON, not php multidimensional array. You can use json_decode function to read through it.

answered Feb 11, 2015 at 8:03

mparafiniuk

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