How can merge 3 arrays into a single associative array in PHP

Question

I have 3 arrays, just 7 elements in them each. Arrays are:

filename[]

title[]

description[]

I want to express and iterate through a single associative array for each of the data in the arrays above. filename can be the key value for the assoc array, but each filename has it's own corresponding title and description.

Below is a sample of:

var_dump($filename)
    string(10) "IMG_1676_3" [1]=> 
    string(10) "IMG_0539_3" [2]=> 
    string(8) "IMG_1942" [3]=> 
    string(8) "IMG_1782" [4]=> 
    string(8) "IMG_2114" [5]=> 
    string(8) "IMG_9759" [6]=> 
    string(8) "IMG_2210" }

var_dump($title)
    string(31) "Lighthouse at Ericeira Portugal" [1]=> 
    string(23) "Gaudi park in Barcelona" [2]=> 
    string(32) "Driving around outside of Lisbon" [3]=> 
    string(16) "Madeira Portugal" [4]=> 
    string(15) "Barcelona Spain" [5]=> 
    string(15) "Lisbon Portugal" [6]=> 
    string(14) "Sailing Lisbon" }

Colin M · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-13 03:18:57Z

6

function mergeArrays($filenames, $titles, $descriptions) {
    $result = array();

    foreach ( $filenames as $key=>$name ) {
        $result[] = array( 'filename' => $name, 'title' => $titles[$key], 'descriptions' => $descriptions[ $key ] );
    }

    return $result;
}

Just make sure you pass valid input to the function, or add some extra checking. Is that what you're looking for?

answered Nov 13, 2012 at 3:18

Colin M

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2 Comments

GivenPie Over a year ago

How can I call the title or the description of my data field of $result[0]?

Colin M Over a year ago

$result[0]['title'] or $result[0]['description']

DigitalDaigor · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-13 03:24:48Z

5

If you array key are the same for all the 3 arrays, the better way to do what you are asking, is a foreach creating a new array with all the key(filename,title,description) in the same key:

<?php
foreach($filename as $key => $file)
{
    $files[$key]['filename'] = $file;
    $files[$key]['title'] = $title[$key];
    $files[$key]['description'] = $description[$key];
}
?>

answered Nov 13, 2012 at 3:24

DigitalDaigor

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1 Comment

GivenPie Over a year ago

I really like your logic, I think this deserves top answer.

air4x · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-13 03:31:49Z

0

Try this

$result = array_combine($filename, array_map(null, $title, $description));
var_dump($result);

Or if you need the inner array to be associative.

$result = array_combine($filename, 
  array_map(function($t, $d) { 
      return array('title'=>$t, 'description'=>$d); 
    }, $title, $description
  )
);

If you just want to combine the three arrays

$result = array_map(function($f, $t, $d) { 
    return array('filename'=>$f, 'title'=>$t, 'description'=>$d); 
  }, $filename, $title, $description
);

edited Nov 13, 2012 at 3:31

answered Nov 13, 2012 at 3:20

air4x

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Comments

chriz · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-12 09:40:18Z

-1

$array1 = array("orange", "apple", "grape"); 
$array2 = array("peach", 88, "plumb");
$array3 = array("lemon", 342); 
$newArray = array_merge($array1, $array2, $array3);
foreach ($newArray as $key => $value) {
    echo "$key - <strong>$value</strong> <br />"; 
}

edited Apr 12, 2014 at 9:40

chriz

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answered Apr 12, 2014 at 9:22

waheed

1

1 Comment

automatix Over a year ago

This solution doesn't meet the requirement in the question.

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