PHP - If key exists in a multidimensional associative array, return its position

Question

I have a multidimensional associative array. The top level keys are numbers and the associative arrays inside have strings for both keys and values.

Here is an example of the array dump:

Array
(
    [1] => Array
        (
            [AC21T12-M01] => 54318
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [AC03T11-F01] => 54480
        )

)

So I want to search for 'AC03T11-F01' and return 2 as the key position.

I tried array_search('AC03T11-F01', $array); but it didn't return anything so I'm guessing it's not a straightforward as I thought.

I've used the function below to key the key position when searching for a value, so maybe that could be adapted to search for keys too?

function getParentStack($child, $stack) {
    foreach ($stack as $k => $v) {
        if (is_array($v)) {
            // If the current element of the array is an array, recurse it and capture the return
            $return = getParentStack($child, $v);

            // If the return is an array, stack it and return it
            if (is_array($return)) {
                //return array($k => $return);
                return $k;
            }
        } else {
            // Since we are not on an array, compare directly
            if ($v == $child) {
                // And if we match, stack it and return it
                return array($k => $child);
            }
        }
    }

    // Return false since there was nothing found
    return false;
}

AbraCadaver · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-20 14:37:15Z

3

$search = 'AC03T11-F01';
$found =  false;

foreach($array as $key => $value) {
    if(isset($value[$search])) {
        $found = $key;
        break;
    }
}

Now check $found.

answered Jan 20, 2015 at 14:37

AbraCadaver

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1 Comment

iltdev Over a year ago

Thanks @AbraCadaver. That worked perfectly and only a few lines. Perfect :)

Aleksei Matiushkin · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-20 14:46:06Z

1

You might filter your array and then request keys:

$filtered = array_filter($array, function(item) {
  return item === 'AC03T11-F01'
});

var_dump( array_keys( $filtered ) );
//⇒ [ 2 ]

Whether you want to retrieve the key of the first occurence:

$keys = array_keys( array_filter($array, function(item) {
  return item === 'AC03T11-F01'
}));
echo ($key = count( $keys ) > 0 ? $keys[0] : null);
//⇒ 2

edited Jan 20, 2015 at 14:46

answered Jan 20, 2015 at 14:38

Aleksei Matiushkin

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3 Comments

Kleskowy Over a year ago

This does not return a single key as OP requested

Aleksei Matiushkin Over a year ago

@Kleskowy Updated an answer.

iltdev Over a year ago

Thanks @mudasobwa. I've accepted AbraCadaver's answer, but I appreciate yours too :)

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