Editing associative array while retaining reference for preparation to JSON encode - php

Question

Is there any common way to edit associative array while retaining reference to original array and making the array be prepared for JSON encode?
An easy way is to rearrange array to new one, but I am thinking that better practice is to go recursively and edit it live.

Answer 1

Here is my function for live editing JSON array with PHP:
function editJSON(&$target, &$aimer){
$found = false;
$result = 0;
foreach($aimer as $ak => $av){
foreach($target as $tk => $tv){
if ($tk == $ak){
$found = true;
$result = 1;
if (is_array($tv) && is_array($av)) editJSON($target[$tk], $aimer[$ak]);
}
if (!$found && is_array($tv)) $result += editJSON($target[$tk], $aimer);
}
if ($found && !is_array($av)) $target[$ak] = $av;
}
return $result;
}
Its fast and tested:
$target = array( 'z'=>array('v'=>1, 'c'=>2, 'g'=>3),
'b'=>array(
'a'=>array(
'b'=>array('g'=>array('c'=>11, 'd'=>13), 'b'=>array('x'=>91, 'y'=>92)),
'e'=>array('m'=>2)
)
),
'd'=>array(
'a'=>array(
'b'=>array('g'=>array('c'=>11, 'd'=>13))
)
)
);
$aimer = array(
'a'=>array(
'b'=>array('g'=>array('c'=>998, 'hh'=>999))
)
);
echo 'Target array:';
echo '<br />';
print_r($target);
echo '<br />';
echo 'Aiming array:';
echo '<br />';
print_r($aimer);
echo '<br />';
$result = editJSON($target, $aimer);
echo 'Resulting array:';
echo '<br />';
print_r($target);
echo '<br />';
echo 'JSON has been modified ' . $result . ' times.';
Will output:
Target array:
Array ( [z] => Array ( [v] => 1 [c] => 2 [g] => 3 ) [b] => Array ( [a] => Array ( [b] => Array ( [g] => Array ( [c] => 11 [d] => 13 ) [b] => Array ( [x] => 91 [y] => 92 ) ) [e] => Array ( [m] => 2 ) ) ) [d] => Array ( [a] => Array ( [b] => Array ( [g] => Array ( [c] => 11 [d] => 13 ) ) ) ) )
Aiming array:
Array ( [a] => Array ( [b] => Array ( [g] => Array ( [c] => 998 [hh] => 999 ) ) ) )
Resulting array:
Array ( [z] => Array ( [v] => 1 [c] => 2 [g] => 3 ) [b] => Array ( [a] => Array ( [b] => Array ( [g] => Array ( [c] => 998 [d] => 13 [hh] => 999 ) [b] => Array ( [x] => 91 [y] => 92 ) ) [e] => Array ( [m] => 2 ) ) ) [d] => Array ( [a] => Array ( [b] => Array ( [g] => Array ( [c] => 998 [d] => 13 [hh] => 999 ) ) ) ) )
JSON has been modified 2 times.
EDIT: Added functionality for adding values to array and counting edits.