How to Dynamically Set Nested Array Data Using a String Path in PHP?

Using a String Path to Set Nested Array Data

Question:
How can I dynamically set nested array data using a string path, such as "cars.honda.civic" to $data'cars'['civic'] without relying on eval()?

Answer:
The reference operator (&) allows for this dynamic setting:

$temp = &$data;
foreach ($exploded_path as $key) {
    $temp = &$temp[$key];
}
$temp = $value;
unset($temp);

By using this approach, you can efficiently set the nested array data without the need for eval(). Here's how it works:

• $temp is initialized as a reference to the root array ($data).
• The loop iterates over the exploded path, updating $temp to successively reference the existing arrays.
• $temp is finally assigned the desired value $value.
• unset($temp) clears the reference, preventing unintentional side effects.

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