PHP Recursion with Associative Array (Menu structure) - php

Question

I've been banging my head against a wall today. I have a mysql table that has a list of menu items which have a recursive parent/child relationship. I need to create an associative array that matches it.
Here is my code, and below it is an explanation of my problem.
MySQL Database
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `menus` (
`sectionid` int(10) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
`parentid` int(10) unsigned NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
`name` varchar(128) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
PRIMARY KEY (`sectionid`)
);
INSERT INTO `menus` (`sectionid`, `parentid`, `name`) VALUES
(1, 0,'DOWNLOADS'),(4, 1,'Player Scenarios'),
(5, 1,'Co Op Scenarios'),(9, 1,'MAPS');
PHP CODE
function get_db_children($parentid) {
$mysqli = mysqli_open();
$sqlStr = "select sectionid as childid from menus where parentid=$parentid order by sectionid";
$result = $mysqli->query($sqlStr);
$mysqli->close();
return $result;
}
function get_children(&$node) {
foreach ($node as $key=>$value) {
$result = get_db_children($key);
while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
$tmp = array($row['childid'] => array());
$node[$key][$row['childid']]= get_children($tmp);
}
}
return $node;
}
===========================================
The above functions are called from my main script as follows:
$categories[0] = array ();
get_children($categories);
print "Categories=".print_r($categories);
exit;
==============
My PROBLEM.
My problem is that the structure of the returned array is not QUITE how I want it.
The code above returns:
Categories=
Array ( [0] => Array
( [1] => Array
( [1] => Array
( [4] => Array
( [4] => Array ( ) )
[5] => Array
( [5] => Array ( ) )
[9] => Array
( [9] => Array ( ) )
)
)
)
)
What I want is:
Categories=
Array ( [0] => Array
( [1] => Array
(
( [4] => Array ( ) )
( [5] => Array ( ) )
( [9] => Array ( ) )
)
)
)
A null array indicates no children.
I can't figure out how to get rid of the double up on key values. :(
If anyone can help, would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Nap

Answer 1

Changing the approach a little has fixed my problem. Instead of passing the $categories array by reference, I just pass the ID of the parent menu item and return the array.
Code below uses same SQL data and SQL accessor function get_db_children($parentid) as given in my OP. I'm sure this could be improved upon, but at least I've got my result.
#Josh, thnx for your input.
PHP Functions
function get_twigs($nodeid) {
$result = get_db_children($nodeid);
if ($result->num_rows != 0) {
while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
$node[$row['childid']] = array();
$node[$row['childid']] = get_twigs($row['childid']);
}
} else {
$node=NULL; // or any other 'no children below me indicator.
}
return $node;
}
function get_branch($nodeid) {
$node[$nodeid] = array();
$node[$nodeid] = get_twigs($nodeid);
return $node;
}
PHP Caller
$categories = get_branch(0);
Finally got it going.
:)

Answer 2

you are passing in the $node by reference therefore instead of doing $node[$key][$row['childid']] = get_children($tmp); you should really be doing
$value[$row['childid']] = get_children($tmp)
or
$node[$row['childid']] = get_children($temp)
but if you go with the second option you will have to pass in $categories[0] on the first call to get_children (which is what you are doing when you are making the recurring calls)
update:
ill try and explain the reason for that...
as you can see the first entry (0) is not duplicated. only after the first recurring call is where your problem starts, the reason for that is because you are passing in the child array by reference therefore the second time around [as a example] when you call get_children the $node var actually already refers to the nested part
array(
0=>array(
1=>array(/*this is what $node actually is the second time around*/
/*when you say $node[$key][$row['childid']] what you are actually saying is assign the value to array[0][1][1][4] = array())*/
)
)
);
i hope this helps. if i can think of a way to explain it batter ill come back and update...