Retrieve nested values from mixed PHP array

Question

I'm using PHP 5.4 and getting back array structures like this:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [HGS-SUB] => SimpleXMLElement Object
                (
                    [0] => 59.00
                )

        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [DOMN-MTH] => SimpleXMLElement Object
                (
                    [0] => 25.00
                )

        )

)

I can't figure out how to retrieve (for example) the string "HGS-SUB" and the number "59.00" within a foreach loop. Note: HGS-SUB is dynamic data that is not known until runtime, so I can't hardcode it. Here is my foreach:

foreach ($matchingProducts as $key => $value){
    EmitObjectDetails($value);
}

Result:

Array
(
    [HGS-SUB] => SimpleXMLElement Object
        (
            [0] => 59.00
        )

)


Array
(
    [DOMN-MTH] => SimpleXMLElement Object
        (
            [0] => 25.00
        )

)

My desire result for the 1st iteration of the loop is to capture the string "HGS-SUB" and the number "59.00". Similarly, in the 2nd iteration of the loop I want to capture the string "DOMN-MTH" and "25.00".

I have tried all sorts of experiments such as:

$value[0]
$value[$key];
$value->{0}
$value[0][0]

Nothing works. Please help.

Can you add to the question how you generate this array as it seems to be part of a SimpleXMLElement object; — Nigel Ren
– Nigel Ren, Commented Mar 7, 2018 at 16:38

IncredibleHat · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-07 17:18:43Z

3

This should do the trick without an extra foreach:

foreach ($matchingProducts as $key => $value) {

    $string  =  key($value);
    $number  =  $value[$string]->{0};

    echo $string .' '. $number ."\n";
}

Using key() (http://php.net/manual/en/function.key.php) will return your "unknown key name" of the $value array. Then you can use that "now-known key" with the $value array to pull the inner property of the object (that property being of 0 according to your example).

This is a working test example:

// Making up a dummy to match your example content:
$matchingProducts = array();
$row1 = new SimpleXMLElement('<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root></root>', null, false);
$row2 = new SimpleXMLElement('<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root></root>', null, false);
$row1->{0} = '59.00';
$row2->{0} = '25.00';
$matchingProducts[0] = array('HGS-SUB'=> $row1 );
$matchingProducts[1] = array('DOMN-MTH'=> $row2 );

print_r($matchingProducts);

foreach($matchingProducts as $key => $value) {

    $string = key($value);
    $number = $value[$string]->{0};

    echo $string .' '. $number ."\n";
}

Outputs:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [HGS-SUB] => SimpleXMLElement Object
                (
                    [0] => 59.00
                )

        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [DOMN-MTH] => SimpleXMLElement Object
                (
                    [0] => 25.00
                )

        )

)
HGS-SUB 59.00
DOMN-MTH 25.00

edited Mar 7, 2018 at 17:18

answered Mar 7, 2018 at 16:43

IncredibleHat

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2 Comments

HerrimanCoder Over a year ago

Works great, thanks IncredibleHat! But how can you have key without a $ in front of it?

IncredibleHat Over a year ago

Function key() (php.net/manual/en/function.key.php)... it grabs the key of the current array pointer. (updated answer with this bit too)

Naveed Ramzan · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-07 16:26:11Z

0

You need to do foreach and then check if element is is_array.

Or you need to define a function which should return all elements of array and that function should be called recursive if element is array.

answered Mar 7, 2018 at 16:26

Naveed Ramzan

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