Multidimensional array and array_push?

Question

I have a huge multidimensional array, let's name it $big_array.

In addition I have this set of data that I have to put into above array:

$input = array('one','two','three','four');

That's what I need to push into $big_array (based on $input from above):

 $value = array(
   'id' => $number,
   'title' => 'foo',
   'type' => 'options',
   'options' => array('one','two','three','four'),
   'page' => 'font_manager',
   );

  array_push($big_array, $value);

$big_array structure looks like this:

$big_array = array(
(...)

array(
 'id' => 'Bar',
 'title' => 'Foo',
 'type' => 'select',
 'page' => 'font_manager',
 ), 

 array(
  'id' => 'ss_font',
  'title' => __("Main font:",'solidstyle_admin'), 
  'type' => 'select',
  'page' => 'font_manager',
  'description' =>  __("This font will be used for all pages.",'solidstyle_admin'),
  'default' => '',
  'options' => array(
     'option1' => 'option1',
     'option2' => 'option12,
   ),
  ),

(...)
);

What I exactly want to do will look like that if it will be possible to include loops in arrays (yes, I know how wrong is that, just trying to explain it better):

$input = array('one','two','three','four');
$value = array(
       'id' => $number,
       'title' => 'foo',
       'type' => 'options',
       'options' => array(
         foreach($input as $number) {
           echo $number.',';
         };
        ),
       'page' => 'font_manager',
       );

Answer 1

If i understand well. You wish to get this :

    $input = array('one','two','three','four');
    $value = array(
       'id' => $number,
       'title' => 'foo',
       'type' => 'options',
       'options' => array(
         foreach($input as $number) {
           echo $number.',';
         };
        ),
       'page' => 'font_manager',
       );

And to push it into $big_array, am i right ?

Then the solution is pretty simple.

        $input = array('one','two','three','four');
        $value = array(
           'id' => $number,
           'title' => 'foo',
           'type' => 'options',
           'options' => array(
            ),
           'page' => 'font_manager',
           );

Build your array. Then your loop :

foreach($input as $number)
{
    $value['options'][] = $number;
}

If you wan to add $input "as is", you may do

$value['options'] = $input;

If you want to have 'one' => 'one'

foreach($input as $number)
{
    $value['options'][$number] = $number;
}

It will produce the exact same result than a loop, withouth the loop overhead.

And finally :

array_push($big_array, $value);

Answer 2

I think what you are going for is getting

$input = array('one','two','three','four');

inserted into

$value = array(
   'id' => $number,
   'title' => 'foo',
   'type' => 'options',
   'page' => 'font_manager',
);

so that it looks like this:

$value = array(
   'id' => $number,
   'title' => 'foo',
   'type' => 'options',
   'options' => array('one','two','three','four'),
   'page' => 'font_manager',
);

and can then be pushed onto $bigArray . If that is the case, it should be as simple as

$input = array('one','two','three','four');
$value = array(
   'id' => $number,
   'title' => 'foo',
   'type' => 'options',
   'page' => 'font_manager',
);
$value['options'] = $input;
$bigArray[] = $value; // equivalent to array_push($bigArray, $value);

If I misunderstood your goal, please let me know.

edit: If you are going for something like this

$value = array(
   'id' => $number,
   'title' => 'foo',
   'type' => 'options',
   'options' => array('one,two,three,four'),
   'page' => 'font_manager',
);

then it you would just change

$value['options'] = $input;

to

$value['options'] = implode(",",$input);

Answer 3

There are a few ways you could emulate the foreach loop at $array['options']— the simplest would be to define a function elsewhere that does that, and then return that options array! Like:

function return_array_options($input) {
   $array = array();
   foreach($input as $number) {
     $array[] = $number 
     // or, $array['option'.$number] = $number 
   };

   return $array;
}

Then elsewhere in your code you can use this function:

$my_array = array();
$my_array['options'] = return_array_options(array(1,2,3,4));

With programming, it's always better to break things down into solutions to smaller problems that you then combine.

Also, check out PHP's functional programming functions, like array_map(), and array_filter(). They help to transform things just like a loop woud, but without actually using a loop. So, they are syntatically more flexible in some ways.

Answer 4

Have a look at the code below. I have commented it so you can understand what I'm doing.

$input = array('one','two','three','four');

// set the base info here, i.e., info that is common to each push
$baseInfo = array(   
   'title' => 'foo',
   'type' => 'options',   
   'page' => 'font_manager',
   );

// now loop
foreach($input as $number) {
    // fill in base info with data that is specific to this iteration
    $baseInfo['id'] = $number;
    $baseInfo['options'] = $input;

    // do the push
    array_push($big_array, $baseInfo);
}

I'm not entirely sure I got your question correct. If you were asking something else, please clarify and I will edit my answer.