PHP: Many arrays into one

Question

I am doing a small calculator, that has randomly selected sequence of 3 chars (-, / and \).

How can I combine my three arrays into one? I'm using array_merge, but it creates an array that nests 3 arrays in it. How can I make this array one-dimensional?

My code (feedback welcome):

$_SESSION["sekvenssi"] = 15; //sekvenssi means "sequence" in Finnish.

$maara1 = rand(1, $sekvenssi/2);  //Maara means "amount"
$maara2 = rand(1, $sekvenssi/2);

$kenot = array_fill(0, $maara1, "/");
$vastakenot = array_fill(count($kenot), $maara2, "\\");
$tayte = array_fill(
    count($kenot)+count($vastakenot),
    $_SESSION["sekvenssi"]-$maara1-$maara2,
    "-"
);

$kaava = array_merge(array($tayte), array($kenot), array($vastakenot));
shuffle($kaava);

print "<p style='font-family: Courier;font-size: 18px;'>";
    foreach ($kaava as $komponentit) {
    print $komponentit;
}
print "</p>";

So this outputs "ArrayArrayArray", but I want it to produce one array with only one level (now it has 2 levels and thus cannot be printed).

Well, one "best practice" would be not to post code to an English-speaking forum where there are non-English variable names. :) — Zecc, Feb 20 '12 at 14:02
@BenLee I'd argue it's slightly different, as he seems to have a handfull of differences such as assumptions he can't print a 2-d array, he's merging three arrays rather than flattening one, etc... — Incognito, Feb 20 '12 at 14:09
In the meantime people have already given answers, so I won't repeat what they've said, but for the record the term you were looking for is "flatten the array". See for example [question 526556](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/526556/) — Zecc, Feb 20 '12 at 14:10

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 20 '12 at 13:59

1

You have already created the array's when you use array_fill, so when you merge them, you are then creating another set of arrays with each array.

Try changing this:

$kaava = array_merge(array($tayte), array($kenot), array($vastakenot));

to

$kaava = array_merge($tayte, $kenot, $vastakenot);

answered Feb 20 '12 at 13:59

BenOfTheNorth

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Thank you alot! That did it! I just love this community, I got an answer in about 3 minutes. – Sampsa Feb 20 '12 at 14:02

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 20 '12 at 14:01

change

$kaava = array_merge(array($tayte), array($kenot), array($vastakenot));

to

$kaava = array_merge($tayte, $kenot, $vastakenot);

you can use print_r() or var_dump() to test-output variables in php. it will even correctly display arrays and objects.

PHP: Many arrays into one

2 Answers2