Form an array hierarchy from specifically-formatted strings - php

Question

I'm iterating over a folder and formatting its contents in a certain way.
I've to form an array from this set of strings:
home--lists--country--create_a_country.jpg
home--lists--country--list_countries.jpg
profile--edit--account.jpg
profile--my_account.jpg
shop--orders--list_orders.jpg
The array needs to look like this:
<?php
array(
'home' => array(
'lists' => array(
'country' => array(
'create_a_country.jpg',
'list_countries.jpg'
)
)
),
'profile' => array(
'edit' => array(
'account.jpg'
),
'my_account.jpg'
),
'shop' => array(
'orders' => array(
'list_orders.jpg',
)
);
The thing is, the depth of the array could be infinitely deep depending on how many '--' dividers the file name has. Here's what I've tried (assuming each string is coming from an array:
$master_array = array();
foreach($files as $file)
{
// Get the extension
$file_bits = explode(".", $file);
$file_ext = strtolower(array_pop($file_bits));
$file_name_long = implode(".", $file_bits);
// Divide the filename by '--'
$file_name_bits = explode("--", $file_name_long);
// Set the file name
$file_name = array_pop($file_name_bits).".".$file_ext;
// Grab the depth and the folder name
foreach($file_name_bits as $depth => $folder)
{
// Create sub-arrays as the folder structure goes down with the depth
// If the sub-array already exists, don't recreate it
// Place $file_name in the lowest sub-array
// .. I'm lost
}
}
Can anyone shed some light on how I might do this? All insight appreciated.
w001y

Answer 1

Try this:
$files=array("home--lists--country--create_a_country.jpg","home--lists--country--list_countries.jpg","profile--edit--account.jpg","profile--my_account.jpg","shop--orders--list_orders.jpg");
$master_array=array();
foreach($files as $file)
{
$file=explode("--",$file);
$cache=end($file);
while($level=prev($file))
{
$cache=array($level=>$cache);
}
$master_array=array_merge_recursive($master_array,$cache);
}
print_r($master_array);
Live demo