PHP sorting 3 dimensional array

Question

I know this would be an easy one but I don't get it. All answered I found on the net was... too complex to me, maybe.

Here is my typical array:

array(
(int) 0 => array(
    'Conversation' => array(
        'id' => '1',
        'created' => '2012-08-04 00:00:00'
    ),
    'ConversationUser' => array(
        (int) 0 => array(
            'id' => '1'
        ),
        (int) 1 => array(
            'id' => '2'
        )
    )
),
(int) 1 => array(
    'Conversation' => array(
        'id' => '2',
        'created' => '2012-08-01 00:00:00'
    ),
    'ConversationUser' => array(
        (int) 0 => array(
            'id' => '1'
        ),
        (int) 1 => array(
            'id' => '2'
        )
    )
));

I want to sort my data with ['Conversation']['created'] date, asc or desc.

Any simple answer ? :P

P.S. I can't use MYSQL sort, I retrieve the data one by one and create that array.

You may want to read up on uasort(). You'll just have to code a little function to do the array access and date comparison then. — mario
– mario, Commented Aug 5, 2012 at 17:54
P.S. I can't use MYSQL sort, I retrieve the data one by one and create that array. The two do not contrast each other. You can use MySQL sort and iterate the results one by one to create the array. Please share your query with us. — Madara's Ghost
– Madara's Ghost, Commented Aug 5, 2012 at 17:54
possible duplicate of How do I sort a multidimensional array in php — mario
– mario, Commented Aug 5, 2012 at 17:56

Community · Accepted Answer · 2023-11-17 19:42:58Z

3

Use usort() :

usort($your_array, function($a, $b){
    $a = strtotime($a['Conversation']['created']);
    $b = strtotime($b['Conversation']['created']);

    if ($a == $b) {
        return 0;
    }
    return ($a > $b) ? -1 : 1;
});

edited Nov 17, 2023 at 19:42

CommunityBot

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answered Aug 5, 2012 at 17:59

Jérôme Boé

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1 Comment

Dan Lugg Over a year ago

I believe you can simply return $a - $b, and even skip the temporary variables altogether.

complex857 · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-27 09:39:46Z

3

You can use array_multisort to do this:

// $data is your array from the example
// first obtain the rows for sorting
$sortkeys = array();
foreach ($data as $row) {
    $sortkeys[] = $row['Conversation']['created'];
}

// sort $data according to $sortkeys
array_multisort($sortkeys, $data);
var_dump($data);

edited Feb 27, 2014 at 9:39

answered Aug 5, 2012 at 17:59

complex857

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1 Comment

Flash Thunder Over a year ago

the best and the most universal answer in my opinion

Claudi · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-05 17:59:24Z

1

You should have a look to uksort() and usort() functions, which let you customize the way arrays are sorted.

Either the solution is simple or complex, remember what Einstein said once: "Things should be always done as simple as possible, but never simpler than they really are".

If you have some trouble with these functions, we can give you further clues ;-)

answered Aug 5, 2012 at 17:59

Claudi

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Comments

Mitya · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-05 18:06:23Z

0

You can use usort() (or, to maintain index association, uasort(). Example: (assumes your array is $arr):

usort($arr, function($a, $b) {
    return
    preg_replace('/\D/', '', $b['Conversation']['created'])
    >
    preg_replace('/\D/', '', $a['Conversation']['created']);
});

That will sort descending. Change > to < for ascending.

edited Aug 5, 2012 at 18:06

answered Aug 5, 2012 at 18:01

Mitya

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