Merge multidimensional array (recursive) but skip duplicate values in PHP

Question

I have two multidimensional arrays what I want to merge but, I want to skip the same values during merging. I tried several different ways what I find on the web, but nothing help me in my case.

My initial array is much bigger than this one, but here I just put an example:

$array1 = [
    "aaa" => [
        "aa1"=> [
            "key1"=> "value1",
            "key2"=> "value2",
        ],
        "bbb"=> [
            "bb1",
            "bb2",
        ],
        "ccc"=> [
            "cc1",
        ],
    ],
    "ooo" => [
        "oo1"
    ]
];

And another one, which I want to merge in the first one:

$array2 = [
    "aaa" => [
        "bbb"=> [
            "bb2",
        ],
        "ccc"=> [
            "cc2",
        ],
    ],
];

print_r of the array_merge_recurisive, using the method like: print_r(array_merge_recursive($array1, $array2));

Array
(
    [aaa] => Array
        (
            [aa1] => Array
                (
                    [key1] => value1
                    [key2] => value2
                )

            [bbb] => Array
                (
                    [0] => bb1
                    [1] => bb2
                    [2] => bb2
                )

            [ccc] => Array
                (
                    [0] => cc1
                    [1] => cc2
                )

        )

    [ooo] => Array
        (
            [0] => oo1
        )

)

So, in the result as you can see array bbb have two bb2 values, but I need just one

have you tried $arr = array_unique (array_merge_recursive($arr1, $arr2)); — lovelace
– lovelace, Commented Oct 12, 2018 at 7:22
check this: array_merge_recursive. notice the line: If, however, the arrays have the same numeric key, the later value will not overwrite the original value, but will be appended. — Gavin Kwok
– Gavin Kwok, Commented Oct 12, 2018 at 7:24
Related: PHP - Merging two arrays into one array (also Remove Duplicates) — mickmackusa
– mickmackusa ♦, Commented Oct 26, 2024 at 22:26

Jeto · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-12 08:53:37Z

4

The following function will remove duplicate values for an array recursively (edit: only for non-associative keys):

function array_unique_recursive(array $arr) {
  if (array_keys($arr) === range(0, count($arr) - 1)) {
    $arr = array_unique($arr, SORT_REGULAR);
  }

  foreach ($arr as $key => $item) {
    if (is_array($item)) {
      $arr[$key] = array_unique_recursive($item);
    }
  }

  return $arr;
}

You can call it after array_merge_recursive.

edited Oct 12, 2018 at 8:53

answered Oct 12, 2018 at 7:44

Jeto

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4 Comments

Kolesar Over a year ago

Yes, it is one of the solutions. I tried to do it in one step.

trincot Over a year ago

@Kolesar, define what you mean with "one step". Also, since this is a solution, it is acceptable. You seem to suggest you already know several solutions. In that case your question is off-topic for StackOverflow. You may want to look at CodeReview and see if your question would be on-topic there.

Kolesar Over a year ago

I tried now this method, and it does not work in case if we have some like: "bbb"=> [ "bb1", "bb2", ], "ccc"=> [ "bb1", "bb2", ], ccc will be removed in this case, because have "same array content"

Jeto Over a year ago

@Kolesar Edited my post.

Pablo Papalardo · Accepted Answer · 2020-05-21 04:06:42Z

3

Use array_replace_recursive instead of array_merge_recursive.

answered May 21, 2020 at 4:06

Pablo Papalardo

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Comments

Sheetal Mehra · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-12 07:39:08Z

0

You can try this

array_unique(array_merge_recursive($array1,$array2), SORT_REGULAR);

answered Oct 12, 2018 at 7:39

Sheetal Mehra

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2 Comments

Andrzej Ziółek Over a year ago

Please add an explanation on how this solves OP's issue.

Kolesar Over a year ago

If you try with arrays from the first post, you will see that this not work, too.

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