Find specific value in multidimensional array

Question

I am trying to make a search of the digit one [1] in multidimensional array. It does work using a standard array [$array_1], but not when there are embedded arrays [$array_2] and [$array_3].

At the very end of the script you find what I have tried.

Wanted behaviour:

The search to return a value that indicates if the value was found. It is fine with either the index position, alternatively returning the amount of digits or repetetive numbers of found digits.

My plan is to move the result into a variable and check if the results is null. If null means it did not find any search result. I am using null because zero [0] could refer to the index position.

<pre>

<?php

$search_for_value = 1;

/**
 * ---------------------------------
 * Array.
 * ---------------------------------
 */

$array_1 = [3, 2, 1];

/**
 * ---------------------------------
 * Multidimensional arrays.
 * ---------------------------------
 */

/**
  *  Value 1 is exists in the array.
 */

$array_2 = [
        [2],
        [1]
];


echo ("-- array_2 ---\n\n");
print_r($array_2);

/**
 *  Value 1 is missing in the array.
 */

$array_3 = [
        [4],
        [5]
];

echo ("-- array_3 ---\n\n");
print_r($array_3);


/**
 * Functions
 */
 function find_value($search_for_value, $array_selected) {
     return(array_search($search_for_value, $array_selected));
 };


 /**
  * ---------------------------------
  * Searches
  * ---------------------------------
  */

 // Search for value in array_1

$array_selected = $array_1;

 print_r(
     find_value(
         $search_for_value, $array_selected
     )
 );

 // Search for value in array_2

 $array_selected = $array_2;

 print_r(                                               # <==== Not working.
     find_value(
         $search_for_value, $array_selected
     )
 );

?>

You need to implement a recursive search. Possibly something like stackoverflow.com/q/28472779/296555. — waterloomatt
– waterloomatt, Commented Jun 13, 2019 at 11:54
You could use is_array to check whether there is a sub array and adapt your find if one layer of depth is enough. But you could also do this recursively as already proposed. — thex
– thex, Commented Jun 13, 2019 at 11:54

Rahul · Accepted Answer · 2019-06-13 12:04:50Z

2

You can use in_array with splat operator,
Below is for multidimensional arrays

$temp = array_merge(...$array_2);
var_dump(in_array(2, $temp));
$temp = array_merge(...$array_3);
var_dump(in_array(2, $temp));

for 1D arrays,

you can directly check in_array($value_to_search, $array_1);

I am exposing array to their value level so they flatten up.
Now I just checked with in_array whether it exists in an array or not.

Demo.

edited Jun 13, 2019 at 12:04

answered Jun 13, 2019 at 11:58

Rahul

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9 Comments

waterloomatt Over a year ago

But what if you want to just search a single multidimensional array?

thex Over a year ago

this solution does not consider a 1D array

Rahul Over a year ago

Still you can remove ...$array2 or ...$array3 from snippet.

Rahul Over a year ago

for 1d, in_array is enough. No need of my code at all.

Toolbox Over a year ago

@Drakula To clarify I was looking how to search in one 2D array. Your answer shows how to search in many 2D arrays and how to search in one 1D array. I think your answer fulfills the purpose and anyhow covers the scope. I will go ahead and approve.

|

waterloomatt · Accepted Answer · 2019-06-13 12:17:23Z

0

Here's a recursive function that returns a boolean indicating if the value was found. The majority of this function was taken from Recursive array_search.

/**
 * Returns a boolean indicating if the needle is found in the haystack.
 * @param $needle
 * @param $haystack
 * @return bool
 */
function find_value($needle, $haystack)
{
    foreach ($haystack as $key => $value) {

        if ($needle === $value || (is_array($value) && find_value($needle, $value) !== false)) {
            return true;
        }
    }

    return false;
}

edited Jun 13, 2019 at 12:17

answered Jun 13, 2019 at 12:11

waterloomatt

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