Merge different PHP array values into each other and sort by time

Question

Tech used: PHP 5.3.10

Hi, I have an array (example below) I need to manipulate by combining the same times, concat any applicable offerId's to a comma delimted string and finally return the string sorted by time! Not much then :)

I looked at this answer to ID the rows: https://stackoverflow.com/a/1019534/260023 however I drew a blank once I had identified the row how to modily the data in it...

Array
(
[0] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T18:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 
    )

[1] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T18:30:00
        [offerIDs] => 
    )

[2] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T19:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 
    )

[3] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T21:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 
    )


[4] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T18:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[5] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T18:30:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[6] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T19:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[7] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T19:30:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[8] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T20:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[9] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T20:30:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[10] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T19:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 17298
    )

)

This should result in:

Array
(
[0] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T18:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[1] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T18:30:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[2] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T19:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302,17298
    )


[6] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T19:30:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[7] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T20:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302


[8] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T20:30:00
        [offerIDs] => 17302
    )

[9] => Array
    (
        [dateTime] => 2012-04-03T21:00:00
        [offerIDs] => 
    )
)

Thanks for all the answers so far, looks like standard advice is to convert key to the dateTime so will do that and report back — bateman_ap, Apr 03 '12 at 14:15
Many thanks everyone, I ticked the answer that I ended up using but pretty much most of you cracked it once you put me on the course of using the datetime as the array key. Thanks again, it was driving me mad! — bateman_ap, Apr 04 '12 at 16:11

mingos · Answer 1 · 2012-04-03T14:13:05.537

Have a look at usort() function. It lets you define any custom sorting you need.

The easiest way to sort dates is probably by converting them to timestamps:

$date1 = new Date('2012-04-03T18:00:00');
$date2 = new Date('2012-04-03T20:00:00');
if ($date1->getTimestamp() > $date2->getTimestamp()) {
    // do something
} else {
    // do something else
}

I think these two pieces of info should enable you to write an appropriate sorting function ;).

[EDIT]

Another possibility I've just thought of, after re-reading your post.

You might foreach over all the results and create the output array like this:

foreach ($input as $item) {
    if (!array_key_exists($item['dateTime']),$output) {
        $output[$item['dateTime']] = $item['offerIDs'];
    }
    if (empty($output[$item['dateTime']])) {
        $output[$item['dateTime']] = $item['offerIDs'];
    }
}

So, the output array would become dateTime => offerIDs pairs. You can sort that easily and then re-convert into your intended output array.

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:08

Something like this should work:

$newarray = array();

foreach ($array as $elements) {
   if (empty($newarray[$elements['dateTime'])) {
     $newarray[$elements['dateTime']] = $elements['offerIDs'];
   } else {
     $newarray[$elements['dateTime']] .= $elements['offerIDs'];
   }
}

Now run a simple sort by time using the code provided by mingos.

The re-arrange the array:

$finalarray = array();

foreach ($array as $d => $v) {
    $finalarray[] = array('dateTime' = $d, 'offerIDs' => $v);
}

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:11

1

That's it. convert date to UNIX (for insurance). and create a new array with key of a date

foreach($out as $v){
    $new_out[strtotime($v['dateTime'])] = $v;
}

sort($new_out);

answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:11

Aziz

859
6
16

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:12

Assume $data is your arrays

# indexed result by time
$tmp = array();
foreach($data as $d) {
    $tmp[$d['dateTime']][] = $d['offerIDs'];
}

# sort keys
ksort($tmp);

# This will result in (then you might have to use implode(',', $offer_ids)
# array(
#    '2012-04-03T19:00:00' => array(1234, 45234),
# ),

# this is what's you expected
$finals = array();
foreach($tmp as $key => $vals) {
    $finals[] = array(
        'dateTime' => $key,
        'offerIDs' => implode(',', $vals),
    ),
}

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:02

0

First, filter out the array with a regular foreach and then use usort() to sort it out.

The usort function gives you the ability to decide how the sorting should be done (by passing your own comparison function).

answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:02

Christian

27,509
17
111
155

So I can loop through the array with foreach, that's fine. However once I have found a matching dateTime, how do I modify this match to add the offerId to it? – bateman_ap Apr 03 '12 at 14:03
1

After re-reading your objective, I'd say I would change the way you're doing to have the time as the index of the array. Then you simply check if the index is already in use. – Christian Apr 03 '12 at 14:06

Merge different PHP array values into each other and sort by time

5 Answers5