Using array_search for multi value search - php

Question

$array_subjected_to_search =array(
array(
'name' => 'flash',
'type' => 'hero'
),
array(
'name' => 'zoom',
'type' => 'villian'
),
array(
'name' => 'snart',
'type' => 'antihero'
),
array(
'name' => 'flash',
'type' => 'camera'
)
);
$key = array_search('flash', array_column($array_subjected_to_search, 'name'));
var_dump($array_subjected_to_search[$key]);
This works fine, but is there a way to search using multiple values: eg. get key where name='flash' && type='camera' ?

Answer 1

is there a way to search using multiple values: eg. get key where
name='flash' && type='camera' ?
Simply with array_keys function:
$result_key = array_keys($array_subjected_to_search, [ 'type' => 'camera','name' => 'flash']);
print_r($result_key);
The output:
Array
(
[0] => 3
)

Answer 2

The array_search function accepts an array as parameters the following will work for the use case you provided.
$array_subjected_to_search =array(
array(
'name' => 'flash',
'type' => 'hero'
),
array(
'name' => 'zoom',
'type' => 'villian'
),
array(
'name' => 'snart',
'type' => 'antihero'
),
array(
'name' => 'flash',
'type' => 'camera'
)
);
$compare = array(
'name'=>'flash',
'type'=>'camera'
);
$key = array_search($compare, $haystack);
var_dump($haystack[$key]);
Note: your current search will not function correctly it will always return the zero index because the array_search returns 0 or false.
$key = array_search('flash', array_column($array_subjected_to_search, 'name'));
var_dump($array_subjected_to_search[$key]);

Answer 3

I think I would just make my own function using a loop that will just retrieve the array I want based on either one or two parameters.
function getValueMatch($array, $val1, $val2 = false, $type = 'name')
{
foreach($array as $key => $row) {
# See note below, but it might be handy to have a reversible key name
if($row[$type] == $val1) {
if($val2) {
# You can put a changeable key name to reverse-find
# It might be helpful to search for the other key first
# at some point, best to keep your options open!
$altVar = ($type == 'name')? 'type' : 'name';
if($row[$altVar] == $val2)
return $row;
}
else
return $row;
}
}
}
$array =array(
array(
'name' => 'flash',
'type' => 'hero'
),
array(
'name' => 'zoom',
'type' => 'villian'
),
array(
'name' => 'snart',
'type' => 'antihero'
),
array(
'name' => 'flash',
'type' => 'camera'
)
);
print_r(getValueMatch($array,'flash','camera'));
Gives you:
Array
(
[name] => flash
[type] => camera
)
Example of reverse match (type instead of name):
print_r(getValueMatch($array,'antihero',false,'type'));
Gives you:
Array
(
[name] => snart
[type] => antihero
)