Find and add to an associative array in an unknown multidimensional array - php

Question

I am trying to create a self populating tree by adding arrays to arrays. What I am having trouble with is finding an associative key within the array and then adding new content to it (a new array).
How do I solve this problem?

Answer 1

This could be done recursively. You can search for the key in the master array and merge that value[s] with the data you would like to append/insert.
Below I've created two functions that will achieve this.
/** Append or create to an array searching for the index with the with the value $key. If $key is set to null, append to array using numerical index.
* #param array $masterArray Array to append to
* #param mixed $data
* #param null $key If not set, will append to the master array
*/
function append($key, $data, &$masterArray) {
if($key===null) {
$masterArray[] = $data;
} else if(!_appendHelper($key, $data, $masterArray)) {
$masterArray[$key] = $data;
}
}
/** Helper function to recursively search/merge array */
function _appendHelper($key, $data, &$masterArray) {
foreach($masterArray as $k => &$v) {
if($k===$key) {
$v = array_merge($v, is_array($data) ? $data : [$data]);
return true;
} elseif(is_array($v)) {
_appendHelper($key, $data, $v);
}
}
return false; // Key does not exist
}
$masterArray = ['foo' => ['bar' => ['ram' => ['ewe' => []]]], ['man' => ['chu' => []]]];
append('foo', ['__TEST1__' => [1, 1, 1]], $masterArray);
print_r($masterArray);
append('new_key', ['__TEST2__' => [2, 2, 2]], $masterArray);
print_r($masterArray);
append(null, ['__TEST3__' => [3, 3, 3]], $masterArray);
print_r($masterArray);