How do I search for patterns in multiple arrays in PHP?

Question

I have an array that looks like this:

Array (
    [0] => Array (
        [host] => google.com
        [type] => NS
        [target] => ns2.google.com
        [class] => IN [ttl] => 112756
    )
    [1] => Array (
        [host] => google.com
        [type] => NS
        [target] => ns1.google.com
        [class] => IN
        [ttl] => 112756
    )
    [2] => Array (
        [host] => google.com
        [type] => NS
        [target] => ns3.google.com
        [class] => IN
        [ttl] => 112756
    )
    [3] => Array (
        [host] => google.com
        [type] => NS
        [target] => ns4.google.com
        [class] => IN
        [ttl] => 112756
    )
)

I would like to search for the pattern *google*. Not sure what function to use to do this. in_array doesn't seem to like regex or searching multiple arrays.

What are you looking to return after you find this pattern? The number of occurences of this pattern? The keys of the arrays containing this pattern? Or something else altogether? — Jared
– Jared, Commented Jul 6, 2011 at 20:46

Aaron Ray · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-06 20:12:18Z

1

I would use preg_grep:

http://php.net/manual/en/function.preg-grep.php

answered Jul 6, 2011 at 20:12

Aaron Ray

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Comments

Jonathan Chan · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-06 20:09:47Z

0

You can use the array_map function, which maps a callback (a function name, a method name as an array of the object and the method name, or a lambda) to every element in an array.

If you'd like me to elaborate, just ask. :)

answered Jul 6, 2011 at 20:09

Jonathan Chan

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Comments

deceze · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-07 04:33:28Z

0

$filtered = array_filter($array, function ($value) { return strpos($value['host'], 'google') !== false; });

$filtered will contain all entries where the host contains "google". Requires PHP 5.3. Maybe use this with preg_grep instead of strpos as suggested by @Aaron Ray if you're interested in any field, not just the host.

array_walk_recursive($array, function ($value) { return strpos($value, 'google') !== false; });

This replaces all values with true or false, based on whether it contains the search term. Not sure what you'd use that for though... :)

$termExists = array_reduce($array, function ($found, $value) {
    return $found || preg_grep('/google/', $value);
});

This returns one boolean value whether the value exists at all in the whole array.

edited Jul 7, 2011 at 4:33

answered Jul 7, 2011 at 4:27

deceze♦

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Comments

jnthnclrk · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-07 11:20:39Z

0

I think I've found a much simpler way using serialize().

$mymultiarrays = serialize($mymultiarrays);
echo preg_match( '/google/', $mymultiarrays;

answered Jul 7, 2011 at 11:20

jnthnclrk

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Comments

Community · Accepted Answer · 2023-11-17 19:22:09Z

0

I would loop and use strpos()

Here is a note from php.net that can be found on preg_match() page.

Do not use preg_match() if you only want to check if one string is contained in another string. Use strpos() or strstr() instead as they will be faster.

edited Nov 17, 2023 at 19:22

CommunityBot

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answered Jul 6, 2011 at 20:19

Jared

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4 Comments

Jared Over a year ago

Sure can. strpos checks a string(haystack) for an occurrence of another string(needle) and will return the position of string(needle) if it is found or false if it is not found. Using a foreach you can loop through your arrays and check the strings. If you are only looking to find one occurrence in a set then you can break out of the loop after finding the first one. The structure and the end logic will really depend on how you need to manipulate the data.

jnthnclrk Over a year ago

Thanks for the explanation, but I prefer the serialize() method.

Jared Over a year ago

serialize is great and would still work with strpos and as I noted in my answer strpos is faster than preg_match.

jnthnclrk Over a year ago

Thanks will switch to strpos.

Phill Pafford · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-07 14:40:10Z

0

array_map and preg_match

$example_array[] = array(
    'host'      => 'google.com',
    'type'      => 'NS',
    'target'    => 'ns2.google.com',
    'class'     => 'IN',
    'ttl'       => 112756
);

$example_array[] = array(
    'host'      => 'google.com',
    'type'      => 'NS',
    'target'    => 'ns1.google.com',
    'class'     => 'IN',
    'ttl'       => 112756
); 

$example_array[] = array(
    'host'      => 'yahoo.com',
    'type'      => 'NS',
    'target'    => 'ns1.yahoo.com',
    'class'     => 'IN',
    'ttl'       => 112756
);

if you do a print_r() on the $example_array, this is how the array structure looks like:

echo print_r($example_array,true)."\n";

Output:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [host] => google.com
            [type] => NS
            [target] => ns2.google.com
            [class] => IN
            [ttl] => 112756
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [host] => google.com
            [type] => NS
            [target] => ns1.google.com
            [class] => IN
            [ttl] => 112756
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [host] => yahoo.com
            [type] => NS
            [target] => ns1.yahoo.com
            [class] => IN
            [ttl] => 112756
        )

)

Functions

function look4($haystack, $needle = 'google') {
    return preg_match("/$needle/i", $haystack);
}

// instead of $example_array use your array here
foreach($example_array as $sub_array) {
    $results = array_map("look4", $sub_array);
    print_r($results);
}

Results (the values of 0 (zero) are a false match, the values of 1 (one) are a true match):

Array
(
    [host] => 1
    [type] => 0
    [target] => 1
    [class] => 0
    [ttl] => 0
)
Array
(
    [host] => 1
    [type] => 0
    [target] => 1
    [class] => 0
    [ttl] => 0
)
Array
(
    [host] => 0
    [type] => 0
    [target] => 0
    [class] => 0
    [ttl] => 0
)

edited Jul 7, 2011 at 14:40

answered Jul 6, 2011 at 20:29

Phill Pafford

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9 Comments

jnthnclrk Over a year ago

You re-wrote the format of my original array. So you're solution does work as is.

Phill Pafford Over a year ago

I rewrote the array to test, it's still in the same format and will work as is. Did you test it or just down vote me?

jnthnclrk Over a year ago

I tested it on my code. I don't have an variable called $mx_records, so that's why it broke and that's why I down voted you.

Inoryy Over a year ago

his solution is right. What he wrote is the same structure as you have, just written differently. $arr = array(array(), array()); is the same as $arr = array(); $arr[] = array(); $arr[] = array(); Please consider reading up on basic programming.

Phill Pafford Over a year ago

in the foreach loop replace the $example_array with your array variable

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