How to Convert a Flattened Array to Multidimensional Array in PHP

Question

I am trying to convert the key values of an array into a multi-dimensional array. The key values look to be multidimensional, but are just text. I have tried exploding the the string and creating a new array, but I feel there must be something simpler than just that.

Example Below:

Array (
[Template[URL]] => http://www.asdasdda.com
[Template[UPC]] => 5484548546314
[Field[value]] =>  Test Example
[Field[answer]] => 20 )

All help is very much appricated. :)

UPDATE: This is the exact output of the data before I run json_decode on the data.

{"Template[URL]":"http://www.asdasdda.com","Template[UPC]":"5484548546314","Field[value]":"Test Example","Field[answer]":"20"}

this surely shall work out if yr representation Template[URL] held a string value. What is this Template[URL]? It is not a variable.. if Template was an array, then refer it appropriate - like: $Template['URL'] — animaacija
– animaacija, Commented Apr 22, 2015 at 16:25
@Devon This comes in from an API from another department in my company, and the person who built this is impossibly hard to work with, so I rather just try and convert it. The funny thing is he sent it through as json, but didnt encode the multidimensional array, just flattened it. — Kevin Weber
– Kevin Weber, Commented Apr 22, 2015 at 16:27
@animaacija the key value of the arrays is formatted 'Template[URL]' not Template['URL']. That's the problem I am currently having. — Kevin Weber
– Kevin Weber, Commented Apr 22, 2015 at 16:30
maybe it is not an array but stdClass or smth? Where this comes from? What is URL then? Constant? if so , it has to have value in it. — animaacija
– animaacija, Commented Apr 22, 2015 at 16:34

David Wyly · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-22 16:50:44Z

4

Fiddled around for a bit, and I think I got it. I don't think there is any simpler way:

foreach ($array as $key=>$value) {
    preg_match("/\[(.+)\]/",$key,$match);
    $newKey = preg_replace("/\[.+\]/","",$key);
    $newArray[$newKey][$match[1]] = $value;
}

Where a print_r() of $newArray is as follows:

Array ( 
    [Template] => Array ( 
        [URL] => http://www.asdasdda.com 
        [UPC] => 5484548546314 
        ) 
    [Field] => Array ( 
        [value] => Test Example 
        [answer] => 20 
        ) 
    )

edited Apr 22, 2015 at 16:50

answered Apr 22, 2015 at 16:45

David Wyly

1,7011 gold badge11 silver badges20 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Devon Bessemer Over a year ago

If you only have single level, for instance Template[URL], then this will work great. If you ever have multiple levels, for instance Template[1][URL], then you can consult my answer's use of references in a loop.

Devon Bessemer Over a year ago

@KevinWeber ^ above comment was supposed to be directed at you.

Kevin Weber Over a year ago

@Devon Thank you Devon, I will be bookmarking this page for future use of these scripts.

Devon Bessemer · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-22 17:18:53Z

The problem should probably be addressed where the array is being created. If you don't have access to that, then you can use a regex with a reference loop to convert the array:

$array = [
"Template[URL]" => 'http://www.asdasdda.com',
"Template[UPC]" => '5484548546314',
"Multi[Level][Array]" => 'Hello World'
];

function convert(&$array, $key, $value) {
   preg_match_all("/(?=^)[^]]+(?=\[)|(?<=\[)[^]]+(?=\])/", $key, $keys);
   if ($keys = $keys[0]) {
       // Unset original key
       unset($array[$key]);
       // Dig into each level of keys and reassign the reference
       foreach($keys as $key) {
           if (!isset($array[$key])) $array[$key] = null;
           $array = &$array[$key];
       }
       // Set the final level equal to the original value
       $array = $value;
   }
}

foreach($array as $key=>$value) {
   convert($array, $key, $value);
}

print_r($array);

Outputs:

Array
(
    [Template] => Array
        (
            [URL] => http://www.asdasdda.com
            [UPC] => 5484548546314
        )

    [Multi] => Array
        (
            [Level] => Array
                (
                    [Array] => Hello World
                )

        )

)

References are used so you can dig into multiple levels if you should need.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to Convert a Flattened Array to Multidimensional Array in PHP

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related