Array recursive replace based on a condition for another key?

Question

I have one dynamic multidimensional-array having unknown depth. I wanted to replace a key=>value based on another key=>value condition.

E.g replace $settings[$cient_id]'s value when $form_id is 1f44537.

$data = array (
  0 => 
  array (
    'id' => '2cd5985',
    'elType' => 'section',
    'settings' => array(),
    'elements' => array (
      0 => array (
        'id' => '88063e6',
        'elType' => 'column',
        'settings' => array(),
        'elements' => array (
          0 => 
          array (
            'id' => '1f44537',
            'elType' => 'widget',
            'settings' => array (
              'ap_google_sheet_client_id' => 'test_id',
            ),
            'elements' => array (
            ),
            'widgetType' => 'form',
          ),
        )
      ),
      1 => array (
        'id' => '7878c73',
        'elType' => 'column',
        'settings' => array(),
        'elements' => array (
          0 => 
          array (
            'id' => '1f44537',
            'elType' => 'widget',
            'settings' => array (
              'ap_google_sheet_client_id' => 'test_id',
            ),
            'elements' => array (
            ),
            'widgetType' => 'form',
          ),
        )
      ),
    ),
  ),
);

Here are my unsuccessful tries

Try-1

public function replace_recursive( $elements, $form_id ) {
        foreach ( $elements as &$element) {

            if ( $element['id'] === $form_id ) {
                $element['settings']['ap_google_sheet_client_id'] = 'replaced';
                return $elements;
            }

            if ( ! empty( $element['elements'] ) ) {
                $elements = self::replace_recursive( $element['elements'], $form_id );

                if ( $elements ) {
                    return $elements;
                }
            }

        }
    }

Try-2

This solved the issue. But the loop doesn't stop when found the element. It loops through all the elements.

public function replace_recursive( $elements, $form_id ) {

        foreach ( $elements as &$element) {

            if ( $element['id'] === $form_id ){
                $element['settings']['ap_google_sheet_client_id'] = 'replaced';
                write_log('A');
                break;
            }

            if ( ! empty( $element['elements'] ) ) {
                self::replace_recursive( $element['elements'], $form_id );
                write_log('B');
            }
        }

        return $elements;
}

Value replaced but I am not getting the full array $elements. Rather than getting the child array for which the value was replaced.

Try-3

Facing the same issue again. The named keys that are on top of elType=widget are converted to numbered keys. Here is a sandbox.

https://sandbox.onlinephpfunctions.com/code/530fb53612dd7a2017b236f218665c0142f1e63f

@nice_dev Export won't work in my case. First of all, it's a large array and secondly, it gives a parser error since I am using some external API. — SkyRar
– SkyRar, Commented Sep 11, 2020 at 16:52
"it is a large array" is not a problem, we're not asking for your full source code and complete state, but provide enough details to constitute a minimal reproducible example, which includes showing just enough of your array that it gives people a true view of what you're working with. If that means only showing the first element: that's fine. One thing to remember is that ideally, you want to show code that others can run - for the problem you're describing, "an API" is irrevelant: replace_recursive takes two arguments, show representative code that lets folks run that function, on that representative data. — Mike 'Pomax' Kamermans
– Mike 'Pomax' Kamermans, Commented Sep 11, 2020 at 17:05
@Mike'Pomax'Kamermans I updated the question. I was using an API that internally uses ajax and doesn't print anything. So initially not able to var_dump or export. However now I got to know that i can also copy as var_export using xdebug. Thanks. — SkyRar
– SkyRar, Commented Sep 11, 2020 at 17:43
I am doing that now. But your question is over complicated. There are a lot (A LOT) of data in that example data which are unrelated to your question. You'll get more success if you reduce the data to the essential part only. Remember that we are volunteers. — trincot
– trincot, Commented Sep 11, 2020 at 17:49

trincot · Accepted Answer · 2020-09-12 15:00:32Z

1

As you state, the code is replacing the value correctly. It is just that you are currently returning the value $elements as it is returned from the recursive call. But that is a smaller array than the overall array, so you should not bubble that array further up.

Instead, just inject that result in the current wrapping array at the "elements" key, and return the resulting array:

$data = [[
    'id' => '2cd5985',
    'elements' => [[
        'id' => '88063e6',
        'elements' => [[
            'id' => '1f44537',
            'settings' => [
                'form_name' => 'New Form',
                'form_fields' => [[
                    'custom_id' => 'name',
                    'field_label' => 'Name',
                    'placeholder' => 'Name',
                    '_id' => '948d900',
                    'field_pattern_message' => 'Please match the requested format',
                ],
                [
                    'custom_id' => 'email',
                    'field_type' => 'email',
                    'required' => 'true',
                    'field_label' => 'Email',
                    'placeholder' => 'Email',
                    '_id' => '243a095',
                    'field_pattern_message' => 'Please match the requested format',
                ]],
                'ap_google_sheet_client_id' => '',
            ],
            'elements' => [],
            'widgetType' => 'form',
        ]],
        'isInner' => false,
    ]],
    'isInner' => false,
]];

function replace_recursive( $elements, $form_id ) {
    foreach ( $elements as &$element) {
        if ( $element['id'] === $form_id ) {
            $element['settings']['ap_google_sheet_client_id'] = 'replaced';
            return $elements;
        }

        if ( ! empty( $element['elements'] ) ) {
            $subelements = replace_recursive( $element['elements'], $form_id );
            if ( $subelements ) { 
                // Inject result back into our array
                $element["elements"] = $subelements; 
                return $elements;
            }
        }
    }
}
    
$res = replace_recursive( $data, "1f44537");
var_dump($res);

See it with another input example in this sandbox

In the second try, you place the return outside of the loop. But this means you always return the array. Yet, you need somehow an indication whether the replacement happened or not. It is probably better to return null when you didn't replace the value, and only return the full array when there was a replacement. Otherwise you have no indication when you can stop looking further.

edited Sep 12, 2020 at 15:00

answered Sep 11, 2020 at 18:00

trincot

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10 Comments

SkyRar Over a year ago

Thanks for your effort. Is it working on your side? I tried but in vain. Can you copy-paste your full code?

SkyRar Over a year ago

Awesome. That works. I inserted echo A & echo B before each return statement respectively. It should print A and then B. But why it prints an extra B i.e A B B

trincot Over a year ago

Imagine you have not found the key yet, and you make a recursive call. In that recursive execution, you also do not find the key, and recurse again. Each time the call stack grows. All those recursive calls are pending (just before the if). So when eventually you do get a match, all those pending recursive calls will get a return value (from the deepest to the top). And at each level, execution will continue with the if. And of course, each one should exit asap, so the if is the right tool to make that happen.

trincot Over a year ago

There was a missing ["elements"] key in the assignment. Updated the code and the link to the sandbox.

trincot Over a year ago

NB: I also removed my earlier addition of $key =>, since the reference to the ["elements"] key makes it unnecessary.

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