PHP: Multidimensional array, multidimensional keys?

Question

$products = array(
  'paper' => "Paper Section" => array
  (
    'copier' => "Copier and Multipurpose",
    'inkjet' => "Inkjet Printer",
  ),
  'pens' => "Pen Section" => array
  (
    'ball' => "Ballpoint Pens",
    'hilite' => "Highlighters"
  ),
  'misc' => "Miscellaneous Section" => array
  (
    'tape' => "Sticky Tape",
    'glue' => "Adhesive"
  )
);

echo "<pre>";
foreach ($products as $section => $items)
  foreach ($items as $key => $value)
    echo "$section:\t$key\t($value)<br />";
echo "</pre>";

Obviously what I'm trying to do here is assign indexes to the $section set, and I'm getting errors for trying to do that. Is there another way to do it, or is it just not possible in PHP?

Oh yeah, this question is the bomb. 2,500 views and -1 rating. hahaha — Wolfpack'08
– Wolfpack'08, Commented May 3, 2015 at 10:11
23,000 views and only 3 upvotes means that this "how to declare a multidimensional array" question is not very helpful to LOOOOOADS of readers. — mickmackusa
– mickmackusa ♦, Commented Nov 11, 2023 at 11:09
@mickmackusa I still use php, but not very often. I think people tend to use something like jquery, some sql variant, or xquery to store arrays like this, but I had some usage cases where I needed to have arrays solely in php (single-file-contained scripts with settings that could be modified from within the script). People rarely create settings files within binaries and even less often have self-modifying code so it isn't easy to find examples. This info can probably be found in a manual and people might be looking for other info. The community isn't very loving, though so, I expect few +1's — Wolfpack'08
– Wolfpack'08, Commented Dec 27, 2023 at 6:10

Community · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-28 19:57:57Z

10

$products = array(
  'paper' => array(
    'title' => "Paper Section",
    'copier' => "Copier and Multipurpose",
    'inkjet' => "Inkjet Printer"
  )
);

Something like the above, for instance. Another option is adding another dimension:

$products = array(
  'paper' => array(
    'meta' => array(
        'title' => "Paper Section"
    ),
    'data' => array(
        'copier' => "Copier and Multipurpose",
        'inkjet' => "Inkjet Printer"
    )
  )
);

edited Dec 28, 2016 at 19:57

CommunityBot

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answered Jun 22, 2011 at 6:53

hoppa

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Comments

Wesley van Opdorp · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-22 06:51:46Z

1

What you want to do is another dimension in your array. And that is the solution to your problem.

answered Jun 22, 2011 at 6:51

Wesley van Opdorp

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Comments

Purple Coder · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-22 06:53:07Z

1

<?php
$products = array(
    'paper' => array(
    // --------^^^^^
        'Paper Section' => array(
            'copier' => 'Copier and Multipurpose',
            'inkjet' => 'Inkjet Printer',
        ),
    )
);
var_dump($products);

PS: It is easier when you format (and indent) your code better.

answered Jun 22, 2011 at 6:53

Purple Coder

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1 Comment

Wolfpack'08 Over a year ago

I like the way I indented it better because it's easier to read.

jensgram · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-22 06:57:26Z

Not really understanding what you're trying to achieve, I'll still give it a shot. Below, I have restructured the data:

$products = array(
  'paper' => array(
    'Paper Section',
    array (
      'copier' => "Copier and Multipurpose",
      'inkjet' => "Inkjet Printer"
    )
  ),
  'pens' => array(
    'Pen Section',
    array (
      'ball' => "Ballpoint Pens",
      'hilite' => "Highlighters"
    )
  ),
  'misc' => array(
    'Miscellaneous Section',
    array (
      'tape' => "Sticky Tape",
      'glue' => "Adhesive"
    )
  )
);

foreach ($products as $sectionKey => $line) {
  foreach ($line[1] as $key => $value) {
    echo $sectionKey . ":\t" . $line[0] . ":\t$key\t($value)\n";
  }
}

You can see a demo at Ideone.

fromz · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-22 07:01:20Z

1

    $products = array(
      'paper' => array(
        "Paper Section" => array
          (
            'copier' => "Copier and Multipurpose",
            'inkjet' => "Inkjet Printer",
          )
       ),
      'pens' => array(
        "Pen Section" => array
        (
            'ball' => "Ballpoint Pens",
            'hilite' => "Highlighters"
          ),
      ),
      'misc' => array(
        "Miscellaneous Section" => array
        (
            'tape' => "Sticky Tape",
            'glue' => "Adhesive"
          )
      )
);

As the other guys have mentioned, you need to put wrap it in another associative array.

However, I get the feeling you're trying to assign the deepest associative array to two keys at once. If that is the case, you can't do it in the array declaration in PHP, you'll have to do something a bit more manually, like:

$products = array();
$products['Misc'] = $products['Miscellaneous Section'] = array(
      'tape' => "Sticky Tape",
      'glue' => "Adhesive"
);

var_dump($products);

answered Jun 22, 2011 at 7:01

fromz

817 bronze badges

1 Comment

Wolfpack'08 Over a year ago

The second code snippet returns an error: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in /code/cUKR0g on line 3 codepad.viper-7.com/cUKR0g

Nanne · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-22 07:01:26Z

1

Well, its far from obvious to me what you are trying to do, but your syntax is wrong: An array is build like 'key'=>'value', because it's a key/value pair You have:

'paper' => "Paper Section" => array()

key->value->value. That's not going to work.

also:

echo "
";

Might be:

echo "\n";

answered Jun 22, 2011 at 7:01

Nanne

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4 Comments

Wolfpack'08 Over a year ago

I guess that's because arrays are stored in the same namespace as strings or something? I was actually thinking value->key->value or key->value->subvalue.... Of course, I'm still learning. Anyway, thank you for the information.

Wolfpack'08 Over a year ago

It's giving me those blanks when I do <pre> and <br>

Nanne Over a year ago

Ah. Fixed your code -> use the {} button on the wysiwig bar thingy when typing code, its the easiest way :)

Wolfpack'08 Over a year ago

Thanks. That's been bothering me so much. X// Glad to finally figure out how to get around it.

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