PHP: http_build_query multidimensional array with empty keys

Question

I am trying to create the following output with the PHP function http_build_query():

xyz[abc][]=someValue

So the first approach was as easy as it gets:

$params = ['xyz' => ['abc' => 'someValue']];

echo http_build_query($params); // Outputs: xyz[abc]=someValue (urlencoded ofc)

But I failed when I tried so many approaches to put the second [], that I am at a point where I do not know further. My plan is not to write a new function since I usually use PHP common functions as much as I can. But if it is not possible I am glad to see some possible solutions for my issue.

Thanks in advance :)!

['xyz' => ['abc' => ['someValue'] ] ] should be sufficient? Edit: Nevermind it addes an index... — Scuzzy
– Scuzzy, Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 9:07
@Scuzzy No, because this would output xyz[abc][0]=someValue. I really need an empty array here, since the API that I am using requires that. — TheKeymaster
– TheKeymaster, Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 9:09
Then I'd suggest manual building of the string or post processing of the string. (Eg find and replace with a regex. — Scuzzy
– Scuzzy, Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 9:10
Well then you either will have to write your own function, or replace those [x]= occurrences back to just []= using a regular expression or something. (If you only ever needed one of those, then ['' => 'someValue'] would do the trick - PHP allows the empty string as an array key, but using that you could obviously not have more than one element in that array.) — C3roe
– C3roe, Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 9:11

Scuzzy · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-27 09:14:47Z

3

Suggestion in regards to "post processing" of the string with preg_replace().

This looks for [n] and replaces it with []

$params = ['xyz' => ['abc' => ['someValue'] ] ];

$query = preg_replace( '/%5B\d+%5D/','%5B%5D', http_build_query( $params ) );

or

$params = ['xyz' => ['abc' => ['someValue'] ] ];

$query = urlencode( preg_replace( '/\[\d+\]/','[]', urldecode( http_build_query( $params ) ) ) );

answered Jul 27, 2018 at 9:14

Scuzzy

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