Sorting a subarray by subarray value?

Question

I only found questions on how to sort arrays with subarray values, but I would like to know if you can sort a subarray with subarray values.

foreach ($el->getArray('plain') as $element){

   foreach ($element as $data)
   {
      <?php echo $data['name']; ?>
      <?php echo $data['value']; ?>
   }
}

I think the best solution is to instantiate $array by doing:

$array = $el->getArray('plain');

before the foreach and then sort it immediately and then loop through it.

However, I am not sure you can sort an array inside an array. First, is this possible and second how would you do it?

Third: can you provide actual array / desired array examples? (Yes, it is possible sort sub-arrays) — fusion3k
– fusion3k, Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 18:51
you're overthinking it. php doesn't care if an array is nested 100 levels deep. an array's an array, and can be sorted with all of the various sort-type functions. how you pass that array to the sort function matters, but once it's inside the sort function, it's an array like any other. — Marc B
– Marc B, Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 18:52

Marc B · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-09 18:54:14Z

1

As per my comment above, stop overthinking:

php > $arr = array(array('c', 'b', 'a'), array('r', 'q','p'));
php > var_dump($arr);
array(2) {
  [0]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(1) "c"
    [1]=>
    string(1) "b"
    [2]=>
    string(1) "a"
  }
  [1]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(1) "r"
    [1]=>
    string(1) "q"
    [2]=>
    string(1) "p"
  }
}
php > sort($arr[1]);
php > var_dump($arr);
array(2) {
  [0]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(1) "c"
    [1]=>
    string(1) "b"
    [2]=>
    string(1) "a"
  }
  [1]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(1) "p"
    [1]=>
    string(1) "q"
    [2]=>
    string(1) "r"
  }
}

Note how the r/q/p array has now become p/q/r - it's been sorted, even though it's an array nested in another array.

answered Mar 9, 2016 at 18:54

Marc B

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