How to check if a similar array exists in another array of arrays

Question

i have an array with times and ids and i am adding new times to it with different id and i need to check if it exists first. ex.

first array

$times = array(
    array('start'=>"1:00","end"=>"1:59","id"=>1),
    array('start'=>"2:00","end"=>"2:59","id"=>1),
    array('start'=>"3:00","end"=>"3:59","id"=>1),
    array('start'=>"4:00","end"=>"4:59","id"=>1),
    array('start'=>"5:00","end"=>"5:59","id"=>1),
    array('start'=>"6:00","end"=>"6:59","id"=>1)
);

need to do

$time = array('start'=>"2:00","end"=>"2:59","id"=>2);
if(!in_array($time,$times){ // here is the problem 
    array_push($times,$time);
}

this is not duplicated because its not about the pair key/value since its always the same its about having the same pair of key/value but checking if a new element - regardless of its id key value - already exists in the array

Ruslan Osmanov · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-08 05:29:48Z

4

Since the id keys are different, you cannot use array comparison functions and operators directly. I would recommend simply iterating the array and comparing the keys:

$found = false;
foreach ($times as $key => $t) {
  if ($t['start'] == $x['start'] && $t['end'] == $x['end']) {
    $found = true;
    $times[$key] = $x;
    break;
  }
}

if (!$found) {
  $times[] = $x;
}

If the number of fields is big, or even is unknown, you can create temporary arrays with the id field unset and compare them with comparison operators:

$tmp_x = $x;
unset($tmp_x['id']);

$found = false;
foreach ($times as $key => $t) {
  $tmp_t = $t;
  unset($tmp_t['id']);

  if ($tmp_t == $tmp_x) {
    $found = true;
    $times[$key] = $x;
    break;
  }
}

edited Jan 8, 2017 at 5:29

answered Jan 8, 2017 at 5:23

Ruslan Osmanov

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3 Comments

Yamen Nassif Over a year ago

This actually fix the problem but then another problem occurs "efficiency" problem since $time here is only an example and what is really happening that i am already doing a nested for to get the $times and then adding new times to it which means extra load on cpu ... but i will accept the solution because it fix it :D

Ruslan Osmanov Over a year ago

@YamenImadNassif, hmm. If the number of items is big, you need a more efficient search algorithm, such as binary search, or better. Alternatively, you can use a memory-based database (e.g. Redis, or MySQL table with MEMORY engine).

Yamen Nassif Over a year ago

I will go with solution for the moment since i need a fast one and will put more efficient one - if i found - later Thanks.

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