How to Sort a Multi-Dimensional PHP Array by Inner Array Values?

Sorting Multi-Dimensional PHP Arrays by Inner Array Values

Sorting multi-dimensional arrays in PHP is a common task in data processing and can be challenging when the sort criteria lies within a nested array. In this article, we will explore how to sort a PHP array based on a specific value within the inner array, specifically the "name" key.

To address this challenge, we will introduce a custom sorting function called array_sort. This function takes an input array, the key to sort by, and an optional sort order (ascending or descending).

The array_sort function initially creates new arrays for sorting and the sorted results. It iterates through the input array, extracting the specified key-value pairs into the sorting array. It then applies the appropriate sorting algorithm (asort for ascending or arsort for descending) to the sorting array.

Finally, the function reconstructs the sorted array by assigning the original array values to the newly sorted keys. The resulting array will be sorted based on the specified inner array key.

Usage:

To utilize the array_sort function, you can follow these steps:

1. Call the array_sort function with the input array, the key to sort by, and the desired sort order (optional).
2. Store the sorted array in a new variable.
3. The sorted array will now be accessible through the new variable.

Example:

Consider the following input array:

$list = [
    ['type' => 'suite', 'name' => 'A-Name'],
    ['type' => 'suite', 'name' => 'C-Name'],
    ['type' => 'suite', 'name' => 'B-Name'],
];

To sort the array alphabetically by the name key, you would use:

$sortedList = array_sort($list, 'name', SORT_ASC);

The resulting $sortedList array will be sorted as follows:

[
    ['type' => 'suite', 'name' => 'A-Name'],
    ['type' => 'suite', 'name' => 'B-Name'],
    ['type' => 'suite', 'name' => 'C-Name'],
]

The above is the detailed content of How to Sort a Multi-Dimensional PHP Array by Inner Array Values?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!