Suppose I have single array of arrays. each element in the array of arrays are similar to each other as they have similar keys, but perhaps one of the keys has a unique value or one of the arrays in the array of arrays has an additional/different key. For example...
$masterArray = array(
[0]=>array(id=>'123', url=>"http://xyz.com", data=>"something", data2=>"else"),
[1]=>array(id=>'123', url=>"http://xyz.com", data=>"something", data3=>"baby"),
[2]=>array(id=>'456', url=>"http://abc.com", data=>"something", data2=>"completely"),
[3]=>array(id=>'456', url=>"http://abc.com", data=>"something", data3=>"different"),
[4]=>array(id=>'789', url=>"http://def.com", data=>"something", data2=>"is not quite"),
[5]=>array(id=>'789', url=>"http://def.com", data=>"something", data3=>"right")
);
I require a new array to be made from $masterArray that would merge the individual keys together in the array of arrays into a new key in the new array, based on matching key value pairs in each individual array. So the final array would appear like this...
$finalArray = array(
[0]=>array(id=>'123', url=>"http://xyz.com", data=>"something", data2=>"else", data3=>"baby"),
[1]=>array(id=>'456', url=>"http://abc.com", data=>"something", data2=>"completely", data3=>"different"),
[2]=>array(id=>'789', url=>"http://def.com", data=>"something", data2=>"is not quite", data3=>"right"),
);
There's quite an array (no pun intended) of php functions that can sort / merge arrays or values, but I cannot figure out which ones to use or how to implement it!
Can anyone figure out a solution to this? It would be much appreciated.
Note: To note, I have done the following
What I have tried is the following algorithm:
- create two copies of $masterArray (call them $m1 and $m2)
- use two for..each loops. The first for...each loop goes through $m1, the second one through $m2
- grab the current element in $m1 from the outer loop
- compare the current element in $m2 from the inner loop
- if the $m1[outerloopindex] matches $m2[innerloopindex] through the majority of their key values, create a new array element $x, merging their key value pairs.
- push or add $x to $newArray
- (and this may or may not work) remove the element compared from $m1 and $m2 (since we used them, we don't need them anymore. assume no more matches)
- if the $m1[outerloopindex] does not match$m2[innerloopindex] , simply go to the next $m2[innerloopindex] value and compare again to $m1[outerloopindex] until a match is made (or not)
- if no elements in $m2 match the element compared against in $m1, keep $m1[outerloopindex]
- loop again going to $m1[outerloopindex+1] etc.
But unfortunately it does not seem to return the correct number of results :(
Sample code is below.
foreach($artistData as $key=>&$asset){
// 2. examine each element, its value is itself an array.
// $key returns the position
// reset the $artistData array
$artistData=array_values($artistData);
$currElement = $artistData[$key];
// 3. check for this secondary array's uid.
// loop through each element in this secondary array
$currElUid = $currElement['uid'];
$currElid = $currElement['id'];
$currElThumbUrl = $currElement['thumbUrl'];
// 4. then proceed down the remaining array and compare the remaining indice's array's uid with the current one being explored
$artistCount=0;
// reset the second array $artistData02;
$artistData02 = array_values($artistData02);
foreach($artistData02 as $key02=>&$asset02){
// clear our temporary new element
unset($resultElement);
$resultElement=array();
// grab the new element to compare to.
// make sure it's not the same as the original
$newCurrElement = $artistData02[$key02];
$newCurrElUid = $newCurrElement['uid'];
$newCurrElid = $newCurrElement['id'];
$newCurrElThumbUrl = $newCurrElement['thumbUrl'];
// if I already compared this element, then skip it entirely
// We also don't want to compare the element to itself.
if ($key!=$key02){
// make sure the uids match
if($currElUid==$newCurrElUid){
// make sure the thumb URLs are different
if($currElThumbUrl!=$newCurrElThumbUrl){
// create the new merged element
// grab the filetype of $currElement
switch($currElement['filetype']){
case 1:
$resultElement['imageLge']=$currElement['publicUrl'];
$resultElement['imageSml']=$currElement['thumbUrl'];
break;
case 3:
$resultElement['song']=$currElement['publicUrl'];
break;
}
// then we compare the newCurrElement and add our information
switch($newCurrElement['filetype']){
case 1:
$resultElement['imageLge']=$newCurrElement['publicUrl'];
$resultElement['imageSml']=$newCurrElement['thumbUrl'];
break;
case 3:
$resultElement['song']=$newCurrElement['publicUrl'];
break;
}
// for the remaining values, we will pass as is
$resultElement['title']=$currElement['title'];
$resultElement['uid']=$currElement['uid'];
// take the resultant $resultElement and merge it to the main array (before $resultELement is recreated)
array_push($resultArr,$resultElement);
// this will reflow the elements, and change the indexing(so the echo merge statement will change). but comparisons will be reduced
unset($artistData[$key]);
$artistData = array_values($artistData);
unset($artistData02[$key02]);
$artistData02 = array_values($artistData02);
}else{
//echo "The thumbURLs are the same. skipping... <br />";
}
}else{
//echo "not the same uids. skipping... <br />";
}
}else{
//echo "this is the same element. skipping... <br />";
}
$artistCount++;
// end inner for...each loop
}
// 7. loop and check through the remaining elements in main array again.
}
/* end outer for each loop */
// add another element - the artist count at the end
$resultArr['artistCount']= $artistCount-1;
// build a JSON object that contains the artists, the total number
echo $resultArr;
again, any help is appreciated...
