How to take two random entries from a multidimensional array in PHP

Question

I am looking for a way to take a multidimensional array and choose 2 random entries from the top level to create a new multidimensional array.

For example, if I have an array $data that looks like the below:

array (size=3)
  0 => 
    array (size=1)
      0 => 
        object(stdClass)[500]
          public 'id' => int 2
          public 'first_name' => string 'Mary' (length=4)
          public 'last_name' => string 'Sweet' (length=5)
  1 => 
    array (size=1)
      0 => 
        object(stdClass)[501]
          public 'id' => int 9
          public 'first_name' => string 'Joe' (length=3)
          public 'last_name' => string 'Bob' (length=3)
  2 => 
    array (size=1)
      0 => 
        object(stdClass)[502]
          public 'id' => int 1
          public 'first_name' => string 'Shag' (length=4)
          public 'last_name' => string 'Well' (length=4)

How do I cut it up so that I take two of the three random entries, to get something like $data2:

array (size=2)
  0 => 
    array (size=1)
      0 => 
        object(stdClass)[500]
          public 'id' => int 2
          public 'first_name' => string 'Mary' (length=4)
          public 'last_name' => string 'Sweet' (length=5)
  1 => 
    array (size=1)
      0 => 
        object(stdClass)[502]
          public 'id' => int 1
          public 'first_name' => string 'Shag' (length=4)
          public 'last_name' => string 'Well' (length=4)

Mark Miller · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-07 05:21:35Z

3

Use array_rand(). You could get more sophisticated depending on what you are doing, but here is the basic idea:

$randkeys = array_rand($data, 2);
$data2 = array($data[$randkeys[0]], $data[$randkeys[1]]);

See demo

edited Nov 7, 2014 at 5:21

answered Nov 7, 2014 at 5:14

Mark Miller

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