sorting by value in a multidimensional array

Question

This is a multidimensional array I got from Google Calendar for displaying events.

Array
(
[items] => Array
    (
        [0] => Array
            (
                [status] => confirmed
                [summary] => Let's go swimming!
                [start] => Array
                    (
                        [dateTime] => 2011-12-30T09:00:00-05:00
                    )

                [end] => Array
                    (
                        [dateTime] => 2011-12-30T10:00:00-05:00
                    )

            )

        [1] => Array
            (
                [status] => confirmed
                [summary] => red wine
                [start] => Array
                    (
                        [dateTime] => 2011-12-28T06:00:00-05:00
                    )

                [end] => Array
                    (
                        [dateTime] => 2011-12-28T07:00:00-05:00
                    )

            )

        [2] => Array
            (
                [status] => confirmed
                [summary] => Christmas
                [start] => Array
                    (
                        [dateTime] => 2011-12-28T09:30:00-05:00
                    )

                [end] => Array
                    (
                        [dateTime] => 2011-12-28T10:30:00-05:00
                    )

            )
     )
)

I want to use PHP to sort by end[datetime]. If anyone could give me some help I would really appreciate it. I was wondering how to do it.

Duplicate of stackoverflow.com/questions/2699086/…?

liquorvicar
– liquorvicar

2011-12-28 19:10:51 +00:00
Commented Dec 28, 2011 at 19:10 — liquorvicar
– liquorvicar, Commented Dec 28, 2011 at 19:10

goat · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-28 19:10:36Z

9

usort($array['items'], function($a, $b){
    if ($a['end']['dateTime'] === $b['end']['dateTime']) return 0;
    else return ($a['end']['dateTime']  > $b['end']['dateTime']) ? -1 : 1;
});

usort();

In this particular case you can compare the dates as strings and get the correct answer due to the format. In some other cases, you might need other methods, like converting to unix timestamp and comparing those.

answered Dec 28, 2011 at 19:10

goat

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3 Comments

goat Over a year ago

I used an anonymous function, which needs php 5.3+. See the example in the manual for other ways to specify the comparison function.

Ryan Koehler Over a year ago

yep, works after I separated the function and called it by usort($response['items'], 'function_name');, thanks!

d-_-b Over a year ago

...well this changes everything...

Eugen Rieck · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-28 19:11:40Z

0

AFAIK there is no direct way to to that. I typically do something like

$items=array();
foreach($mainarray['items'] as $k=>$v) $items[$v['end']['$dateTime'."-$k"]]=$v;
ksort($items);
$mainarray['items']=array_values($items);

answered Dec 28, 2011 at 19:11

Eugen Rieck

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