How to print data from an array php? - php

Question

I am having some troubles calling the correct values in the php array. Here is the array.
Array ( [count] => 1 [threads] => Array ( [13] => Array ( [thread_id] => 13 [node_id] => 4 [title] => Forum Integration nearly complete! [reply_count] => 0 [view_count] => 0 [user_id] => 59 [username] => Faeron [post_date] => 1369257302 [sticky] => 0 [discussion_state] => visible [discussion_open] => 1 [discussion_type] => [first_post_id] => 23 [first_post_likes] => 0 [last_post_date] => 1369257302 [last_post_id] => 23 [last_post_user_id] => 59 [last_post_username] => Faeron [prefix_id] => 1 [content] => Array ( [count] => 1 [content] => Array ( [23] => Array ( [post_id] => 23 [thread_id] => 13 [user_id] => 59 [username] => Faeron [post_date] => 1369257302 [message] => It's been quite a while since we began to integrate the phanime Forums with the main site. We have now finished the integration with the phanime Forums and the main site. You will no longer notice that there are two platforms running phanime, but instead only one. Our next step is to theme the forums to make it look like the main site! [ip_id] => 268 [message_state] => visible [attach_count] => 0 [position] => 0 [likes] => 0 [like_users] => a:0:{} [warning_id] => 0 [warning_message] => ) ) ) ) ) )
Now lets say this array was named $array then to get the first element's value "[count]" can't I just say the following: print $array["[count]"] <-- this returns an error.
What about the element that has a value as an array itself, which is the [threads] element. How do I get, perhaps the [thread_id] element's value?

Answer 1

Use it like this:
echo $array['count']; // would output '1'
echo $array['threads'][13]['thread_id']; // outputs '13'
echo $array['threads'][13]['content']['content'][23]['message']; // "It's been.."
Here is the (brief) documentation on multidimensional arrays: http://php.net/manual/en/language.types.array.php#language.types.array.syntax.accessing
Here's a good guide to them with examples: http://www.developerdrive.com/2012/01/php-arrays-array-functions-and-multidimensional-arrays/
Update: To get the value of 'message' without knowing the numbered array keys beforehand you could use:
reset($array);
$first = array_keys($array['threads']);
$first = $first[0];
$second = array_keys($array['threads'][$first]['content']['content']);
$second = $second[0];
echo $array['threads'][$first]['content']['content'][$second]['message'];

Answer 2

You can access a value in an array by using the following:
echo $array['count'];
You can also print the entire array like so:
print_r($array);
or
var_dump($array);
If you want to write a value from a multidimensional array then use the following:
echo $array[23]['post_id'];
So, to summarize, see the following:
$array = array(
'bar' => 'testing value',
'foo' => array(
'bar' => 'test'
)
);
print_r($array) // Will print whole array
echo $array['bar']; // Will print 'testing value'
print_r($array['foo']); // Will print the second level array
echo $array['foo']['bar']; // Will print 'test'