Convert single array to multidimensional array in php

Question

If there is a problem, I’m trying to solve now a few hours, but I just can’t find a solution.

If one array of paths

$singleArray = array( '/Web', '/Web/Test1', '/Web/Test2', '/Web/Test2/Subfolder', '/Web/Test3', '/Public' ); 

From this array I want to create a mulitdimensional array that stores keys but inserts subfolders into the correct parent folders. Later I want to iterate over a new array to create a folder tree (but this is not a problem)

The new array should look like this:

 $multiArray = array( '/Web'=>array( '/Web/Test1'=>array(), '/Web/Test2'=>array( '/Web/Test2/Subfolder'=>array() ), '/Web/Test3'=>array() ), '/Public'=>array() ); 

Answer 1

The code below will make the array you want. The key to solving your problem is to create an array reference at each iteration.

 <?php $singleArray = array( '/Web', '/Web/Test1', '/Web/Test2', '/Web/Test2/Subfolder', '/Web/Test3', '/Public' ); $multiArray = array(); foreach ($singleArray as $path) { $parts = explode('/', trim($path, '/')); $section = &$multiArray; $sectionName = ''; foreach ($parts as $part) { $sectionName .= '/' . $part; if (array_key_exists($sectionName, $section) === false) { $section[$sectionName] = array(); } $section = &$section[$sectionName]; } } 

Answer 2

Got this job! Great challenge!

First, I sort the array by the number of folders, so the first one to be processed is the files with the least number of folders (in the root directory).

Then the function iterates through each element of the array and each folder in this element, comparing it with existing elements of the array and, if it exists, places it inside this element as a multidimensional array.

This will work up to two subfolders - / root / sub1 / sub2 - but it is quite simple to add functionality for deeper use.

This code example also displays arrays before / after:

 $singleArray = array( '/Web', '/Web/Test1', '/Web/Test2', '/Web/Test2/Subfolder', '/Web/Test3', '/Public' ); echo "<pre>"; print_r($singleArray); $multiArray = array(); //first sort array by how many folders there are so that root folders are processed first usort($singleArray, function($a, $b) { $a_folders = explode("/", $a); $b_folders = explode("/", $b); $a_num = count($a_folders); //number of folders in first $b_num = count($b_folders); //number of folders in second if($a_num > $b_num) return -1; elseif($a_num < $b_num) return 1; else return 0; }); //foreach in array foreach($singleArray as $item){ //get names of folders $folders = explode("/", $item); //if the first folder exists if(in_array($folders[0], $multiArray)){ $key1 = array_search($folders[0], $multiArray); //repeat for subfolder #1 if(in_array($folders[1], $multiArray[$key1])){ $key2 = array_search($folders[1], $multiArray[$key1]); //repeat for subfolder #2 if(in_array($folders[2], $multiArray[$key1][$key2])){ $key3 = array_search($folders[2], $multiArray[$key1][$key2]); array_push($multiArray[$key1][$key2][$key3], $item); } else array_push($multiArray[$key1][$key2], $item); } else array_push($multiArray[$key1], $item); } else array_push($multiArray, $item); } //reverse the array so that it looks nice $multiArray = array_reverse($multiArray); print_r($multiArray); 

This will output:

 Array ( [0] => /Web [1] => /Web/Test1 [2] => /Web/Test2 [3] => /Web/Test2/Subfolder [4] => /Web/Test3 [5] => /Public ) Array ( [0] => /Web [1] => /Public [2] => /Web/Test1 [3] => /Web/Test2 [4] => /Web/Test3 [5] => /Web/Test2/Subfolder )