Array formatting in php (used laravel framework)

Question

I am trying to format an array in php . It does not return in expected json format . Here is details.

$categories = category::where('cat_flag','Y')->pluck('cat_name as category_name')->toArray();
$items = item::leftjoin('categories','items.cat_id' ,'=', 'categories.id')
                      ->where('item_flag','Y')
                      ->get([
                            'item_name',
                            'items.cat_id as category_id',
                            'cat_name as category_name'
                        ])->toArray();

        $formatedArray = [];
        foreach ($categories as $category) {
            foreach ($items as $item) {
                if ($item['category_name'] == $category) {
                    $formatedArray['cat_name'] = $category;
                    $formatedArray['datas'][] = $item;
                }
            }
        }

my expected output is like bellow. but there is logical error in array format part . I am not getting properly how to format that. Thanks in advance

       [
         {
           "cat_name" : "food",
           "datas" : [
                {
                  "item_name": "item2",
                  "category_id": "1"
                },
                {
                  "item_name": "item4",
                  "category_id": "1"
                }
             ]
           },
           {
           "cat_name" : "drinks",
           "datas" : [
                {
                  "item_name": "coca cola",
                  "category_id": "4"
                }
             ]
           }
        ]

But my output showing like . All items are in same category

  {
"cat_name": "cat4",
"datas": [
    {
        "item_name": "item2",
        "category_id": "1"
    },
    {
        "item_name": "item22",
        "category_id": "2"
    }
 ]
}

Answer 1

Hey dude try this you are comparing string to object

foreach ($categories as $category) {
        foreach ($items as $item) {
            if ($item['category_name'] == $category) {
                if(!empty($formatedArray)){
                  foreach(formatedArray as $array){
                     if(!empty($array) && $array['cat_name']  == $category){
                          array_push($formatedArray['datas'], $item)
                     }else{
                          $newArray = [];
                          $newArray['cat_name'] = $category;
                          $newArray['datas'][] = $item;
                          array_push($formatedArray, $newArray);
                     }
                  }
                }else{
                  $formatedArray['cat_name'] = $category;
                  $formatedArray['datas'][] = $item
                }
            }
        }
    }

Answer 2

I think the following code is the problem: In each iteration, $formattedArray contents are being replaced with new values!

$formatedArray = [];
        foreach ($categories as $category) {
            foreach ($items as $item) {
                if ($item['category_name'] == $category) {
                    $formatedArray['cat_name'] = $category;
                    $formatedArray['datas'][] = $item;
                }
            }
        }

Replace the above with this:

$formatedArray = $thisArray = [];
        foreach ($categories as $category) {
            foreach ($items as $item) {
                if ($item['category_name'] == $category) {
                    $thisArray['cat_name'] = $category;
                    $thisArray['datas'][] = $item;
                    $formatedArray[] = $thisArray;
                    $thisArray = [];
                }
            }
        }