Using usort() on multidimensional alphanumeric array (numbers first) - php

Question

Here is an example array I am attempting to sort:
$array = (object)array(
'this' => 'that',
'posts'=> array(
'title' => '001 Chair',
'title' => 'AC43 Table',
'title' => '0440 Recliner',
'title' => 'B419',
'title' => 'C10 Chair',
'title' => '320 Bed',
'title' => '0114'
),
'that' => 'this'
);
usort($array->posts, 'my_post_sort');
Here is the function I am using to sort:
function my_post_sort($a, $b) {
$akey = $a->title;
if (preg_match('/^[0-9]*$',$akey,$matches)) {
$akey = sprintf('%010d ',$matches[0]) . $akey;
}
$bkey = $b->title;
if (preg_match('/^[0-9]*$',$bkey,$matches)) {
$bkey = sprintf('%010d ',$matches[0]) . $bkey;
}
if ($akey == $bkey) {
return 0;
}
return ($akey > $bkey) ? -1 : 1;
}
This gives me the following results:
'posts', array(
'title' => 'C10 Chair',
'title' => 'B419',
'title' => 'AC43 Table',
'title' => '320 Bed',
'title' => '0440 Recliner',
'title' => '0114',
'title' => '001 Chair'
)
Now, the last step I need is getting the numbers to appear (descending) before the letters (descending).
Here is my desired output:
'posts', array(
'title' => '320 Bed',
'title' => '0440 Recliner',
'title' => '0114',
'title' => '001 Chair',
'title' => 'C10 Chair',
'title' => 'B419',
'title' => 'AC43'
)
I've tried all kinds of sorts, uasorts, preg_match, and other functions; and just cannot seem to figure out the last step.
Any suggestions or assistance? Thank you.

Answer 1

Try this comparing function:
function my_post_sort($a, $b) {
$akey = $a->title;
$bkey = $b->title;
$diga = preg_match("/^[0-9]/", $akey);
$digb = preg_match("/^[0-9]/", $bkey);
if($diga && !$digb) {
return -1;
}
if(!$diga && $digb) {
return 1;
}
return -strcmp($akey, $bkey);
}
It will sort in descending order, but place digits before other symbols.

Answer 2

First of all, I do not think your array can works... You can not have the same key many times on the same array level.
foreach ($array as $key => $title) {
if ( is_numeric(substr($title, 0, 1)) ) {
$new_array[$key] = $title;
}
}
array_multisort($array, SORT_DESC, SORT_STRING);
array_multisort($new_array, SORT_DESC, SORT_NUMERIC);
$sorted_array = array_merge($array, $new_array);