How to count a multidimensional array

Question

$fruits = array("banana", "pineapple", array("apple", "mango"), "guava");
echo count($fruits,1);

The above code outputs 6, but I don't understand why. Can someone please explain it?

4 for the first level and 2 for second .. also the array is an elem .. — ScaisEdge
– ScaisEdge, Commented Apr 25, 2018 at 16:28
Upvote simply because this is the first time I've realized that count() can take a second parameter. — MonkeyZeus
– MonkeyZeus, Commented Apr 25, 2018 at 16:36
@MonkeyZeus same here! Although I think it would be more useful if the recursive count didn't include the inner arrays. Maybe I'm missing some value of that. — Don't Panic
– Don't Panic, Commented Apr 25, 2018 at 16:51
@Don'tPanic I was juggling that thought as well but I think stackoverflow.com/a/50027183/2191572 explains it nicely. — MonkeyZeus
– MonkeyZeus, Commented Apr 25, 2018 at 17:22

Emilio Gort · Accepted Answer · 2019-04-09 12:21:47Z

1

$fruits = array("banana", "pineapple", array("apple", "mango"), "guava");

Because is counting the array("apple","mango") as 1 element

count($fruits,1)// the second parameter will recursively count the array

+ 1 -> banana
+ 1 -> pineapple
+ 1 -> array("apple","mango")
+ 1 --------> apple
+ 1 --------> mango
+ 1 -> guava
____
 6 elements

edited Apr 9, 2019 at 12:21

answered Apr 25, 2018 at 16:30

Emilio Gort

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Siddharth Ramani · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-25 17:20:23Z

1

Hope This will help

$fruits = array("banana", "pineapple", array("apple", "mango"), "guava");

foreach ($fruits as $key => $value)
{
   echo count($value) . "<br />";
}

// Output : 1 1 2 1

answered Apr 25, 2018 at 17:20

Siddharth Ramani

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Comments

ferc · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-25 16:36:50Z

0

If you expected it to return 5, it's because the array on the 3rd position is counted as an element. If you expected it to return 4, count's second argument specifies whether it should count recursively or not.

edited Apr 25, 2018 at 16:36

answered Apr 25, 2018 at 16:30

ferc

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Don't Panic · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-25 16:44:04Z

0

If you only want to count the leaf nodes, you can take advantage of the fact that array_walk_recursive only touches those.

array_walk_recursive($fruits, function() use (&$count) { $count++; });
echo $count;  // 5

answered Apr 25, 2018 at 16:44

Don't Panic

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Comments

Emilio Gort · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-01 14:26:56Z

0

array("apple","mango") counts as 3, since you're deep counting.

It first counts "banana", "pineapple", array(), "guava" Then "apple" and "mango"

edited May 1, 2018 at 14:26

Emilio Gort

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answered Apr 25, 2018 at 16:31

Aurelien

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