reformat existing array to group items together - php

Question

I have the following array:
Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[name] => bss2
[label] => front
[text] => just a testing item
)
[1] => Array
(
[name] => bss3
[label] => front top
[text] => front top testing item
)
[2] => Array
(
[name] => J334
[label] => back top
[text] => masking test back top
)
[3] => Array
(
[name] => J3366
[label] => back
[text] => back non mask test
)
)
What i would like to accomplish is to check to see if label = front then group the ones with front together and same with back all in one big array to have it looks like so:
[approval] => Array(
[0] => Array(
[name] => front
[prev] => Array(
[0]=>Array(
[name] => bss2
)
[1]=>Array(
[name] => bss2
)
)
)
[1] => Array(
[name] => back
[prev] => Array(
[0]=>Array(
[name] => J334
)
[1]=>Array(
[name] => J3366
)
)
)
)
so far I dont have much and am stuck but this is my code
foreach($info as $data) {
if(strtolower(strpos($data['label'], "front") !==false)) {
} else {
}
}
Iv also tried using array_chunk which works great but what would happen if there are 3 elements that need to be grouped or 4
array_chunk($info, 2);
or what would happen if the order is different where one is front and second is back it will then combine the front and back together.
Any help is greatly appreciated thank you.

Answer 1

This should do it, assuming the only choices are front and back.
$result = array(array('name' => 'front', 'prev' => array()),
array('name' => 'back', 'prev' => array()));
foreach ($info as $data) {
$i = (strpos(strtolower($data['label']), "front") !== false)
$result[$i]['prev'][] = array('name' => $data['name'];
}
$newinfo = array('approval' => $result;

Answer 2

It's not clear to me exactly what you're after... If it's just front and back or if you want top and any other group as well?
Methods
Anyway, here are a few options that should cover most cases.
Front and Back only
This is the simplest and will just check for front and back. If it finds them then it will ad to front and back in $newArray as is required.
$newArray = array(array('front'), array('back')); //The new reformatted array
for($i = 0; $i < count($initialArray); $i++){
if(strpos($initialArray[$i]['label'], 'front') !== FALSE){//Check if group is front
$newArray[0]['prev'][] = array('name'=>$initialArray[$i]['name']); //Add to front
}
if(strpos($initialArray[$i]['label'], 'back') !== FALSE){//Check if group is back
$newArray[1]['prev'][] = array('name'=>$initialArray[$i]['name']); //Add to back
}
}
Pre-defined groups
This one's a bit more complex and will search for all groups found in $groups. The code below shows only front and back but you could also add in, for example, top or any others.
$groups = array('front', 'back'); //Groups to search for e.g. front, back, and top
$newArray = array(); //The new reformatted array
for($i = 0; $i < count($initialArray); $i++){
foreach($groups as $group){
if(strpos($initialArray[$i]['label'], $group) !== FALSE){//Check if group is in label
$groupKey = array_search($group, $groups); //Search for the key in $groups
$newArray[$groupKey]['prev'][] = array('name'=>$initialArray[$i]['name']); //Add to relevant group
}
}
}
Automated
This is the most advanced code which will automatically search and add new groups as they are found in the array. It's also fully automated so all you have to do is point it at the correct array.
$groups = array(); //Index of groups like: top, front, and back
$newArray = array(); //The new reformatted array
for($i = 0; $i < count($initialArray); $i++){
$possibleGroups = explode(' ', strtolower($initialArray[$i]['label'])); //Get list of applicable groups
foreach($possibleGroups as $newGroup){
if(!in_array($newGroup, $groups)){ //If group doesn't already exist in $groups add it
$groups[] = $newGroup;
$newArray[] = array('name'=>$newGroup, 'prev'=>array());
}
$groupKey = array_search($newGroup, $groups); //Search for the key in $groups
$newArray[$groupKey]['prev'][] = array('name'=>$initialArray[$i]['name']); //Add to relevant group
}
}
Test array
The above codes have been tested with the following array...
$initialArray = array(
array(
'name' =>'bss2',
'label'=>'front',
'text' =>'sometihng...'
),
array(
'name' =>'bss3',
'label'=>'front top',
'text' =>'sometihng...'
),
array(
'name' =>'j334',
'label'=>'back top',
'text' =>'sometihng...'
),
array(
'name' =>'j3366',
'label'=>'back',
'text' =>'sometihng...'
)
);
Example Output
Output of the third method (automated) using the test array above.
array (
0 =>
array (
'name' => 'front',
'prev' =>
array (
0 =>
array (
'name' => 'bss2',
),
1 =>
array (
'name' => 'bss3',
),
),
),
1 =>
array (
'name' => 'top',
'prev' =>
array (
0 =>
array (
'name' => 'bss3',
),
1 =>
array (
'name' => 'j334',
),
),
),
2 =>
array (
'name' => 'back',
'prev' =>
array (
0 =>
array (
'name' => 'j334',
),
1 =>
array (
'name' => 'j3366',
),
),
),
)