Joining arrays to go in to a multidimensional array - php

Question

I need to dynamically produce child elements of an array, these are arrays them selves. So the end result should be (this is a simplified version of the code below to make it easier to understand):
Array
(
[id] => 5000038642
[name] => TrackVia Legacy Section of Array
[description] =>
[table_id] => 5000005024
[records] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[id] => 1
[table_id] => 1
[fields] => Array
(
[Name] => First Item
)
)
[1] => Array
(
[id] => 1
[table_id] => 1
[fields] => Array
(
[Name] => Second Item
)
)
)
)
The nested arrays within Results are produced dynamically from a MySQL table, so >
$allItems = array();
$item = array();
// Get each result and build the arrya
while($row = $resultAvailableBoxes->fetch_assoc()) {
$item = array (
"id"=> $row['id'],
"table_id"=> $row['id'],
"fields"=> array (
"Name"=> $row['box_title'],
)
);
// Append the arrays on to each other
$allItems[] = array_merge($allItems, $item);
}
// Place the arrays within the "parent" array
$completeArray = array(
"id"=> 1000,
"name"=> "Sample",
"description"=> "",
"table_id"=> 1000,
"records"=>
$allItems
);
As you can see I am then also trying to append each new array on to the last, before placing those arrays in to the "parent" array. This is where the problems happen.
Using the method
$allItems[] = array_merge($allItems, $item);
I get every array appended on to the last, but then again and again. Like this:
Array
(
[id] => 5000038642
[name] => TrackVia Legacy Section of Array
[description] =>
[table_id] => 5000005024
[records] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[id] => 1
[table_id] => 1
[fields] => Array
(
[Name] => Texan BBQ 1
)
)
[1] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[id] => 1
[table_id] => 1
[fields] => Array
(
[Name] => Texan BBQ 1
)
)
[id] => 9
[table_id] => 9
[fields] => Array
(
[Name] => Goan Sorpotel with Pea & Mint Pilau and Tomato Chutney
)
)
)
)
When I have 20 items, you can see this would become massive list and just doesn't work. Using the method
$allItems = array_merge($allItems, $item);
Returns only the last array being appended (i.e. it always overwrites whats already in the "allItems" array.
I have also used a simple method that I didn't expect to work, and sure enough it didnt:
$allItems .= $item;
I've come to the conclusion after reading these stackover flow questions which seem like the same thing but aren't or give weird results that I must be approaching this all wrong. Is this the wrong method full stop, or is it that I have missed something out to stop the child elements being continually added?
Appending Arrays (Stack Overflow)
Can't concatenate 2 arrays in PHP
I've lost count of the other questions I've look at on this, including the PHP manual but I can't find anything more relevant the arrays_merge

Answer 1

why don't you just do this?
$items = array();
while($row = $resultAvailableBoxes->fetch_assoc()) {
$items[] = array (
"id"=> $row['id'],
"table_id"=> $row['id'],
"fields"=> array (
"Name"=> $row['box_title'],
)
);
}
// Place the arrays within the "parent" array
$completeArray = array(
"id"=> 1000,
"name"=> "Sample",
"description"=> "",
"table_id"=> 1000,
"records"=> $items
);
this should create an array with all the items and then add it to the $completeArray

Answer 2

Try to use $allItems[] = $item; instead of $allItems[] = array_merge($allItems, $item);