How Can I Efficiently Sort Files by Modification Date Using PHP\'s `glob()` and a Custom Sort Function?

File Sorting by Modification Datetime Using 'glob()' and Custom Sorting

Sorting an array of files by their last modified timestamp can be crucial for various tasks, such as file management, data analysis, and more. While looping and sorting the array manually is a feasible approach, there are more efficient and concise methods available.

Efficient Sorting with Custom Comparison Function

Glob allows you to quickly retrieve files using patterns. To sort these files by their last modified datetime stamp, you can utilize the 'usort()' function along with a custom comparison function. The following example demonstrates how:

php
$myarray = glob(".");
usort($myarray, create_function('$a,$b', 'return filemtime($a) - filemtime($b);'));
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The 'create_function()' callback function compares the modification timestamps of two files ('$a' and '$b') using 'filemtime()'. The resulting difference is used for sorting, effectively arranging the files in ascending order based on their last modified time.

Note on Deprecation of 'create_function()'

As mentioned in the reference answer, the 'create_function()' function is deprecated in PHP 7.2.0 and should be avoided. If you encounter this warning, consider using alternative approaches, such as anonymous functions or closures.

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