Get key values from multidimensional array - php

Question

I have a page that searches a database and generates the following array. I'd like to be able to loop through the array and pick out the value next assigned to the key "contact_id" and do something with it, but I have no idea how to get down to that level of the array.
The array is dynamically generated, so depending on what I search for the index numbers under "values" will change accordingly.
I'm thinking I have to do a foreach starting under values, but I don't know how to start a foreach at a sublevel of an array.
Array (
[is_error] => 0
[version] => 3
[count] => 2
[values] => Array (
[556053] => Array (
[contact_id] => 556053
[contact_type] => Individual
[first_name] => Brian
[last_name] => YYY
[contact_is_deleted] => 0
)
[596945] => Array (
[contact_id] => 596945
[contact_type] => Individual
[first_name] => Brian
[last_name] => XXX
[contact_is_deleted] => 0
)
)
)
I've looked at the following post, but it seems to only address the situation where the array indices are sequential.
Multidimensional array - how to get specific values from sub-array
Any ideas?
Brian

Answer 1

You are correct in your assumption. You could do something like this:
foreach($array['values'] as $key => $values) {
print $values['contact_id'];
}
That should demonstrate starting at a sub level. I would also add in your checks to see if its empty and if its an array... etc.

Answer 2

Another hint regarding syntax - if the array in your original example is called $a, then the values you want are here:
$a['values'][556053]['contact_id']
and here:
$a['values'][596945]['contact_id']
So if there's no additional structure in your array, then this loop is probably what you want:
foreach ($a['values'] as $toplevel_id => $record_data) {
print "for toplevel_id=[$toplevel_id], contact_id=[" . $record_data['contact_id'] . "]\n";
}

Answer 3

foreach($array['values'] as $sub_arr){
echo $sub_arr['contact_id'];
}