Accessing deeper array keys using function arguments - php

Question

I am trying to create a function (unless one already exists?) which is supposed to accept an "unlimited" amount of arguments (using func_get_args()) to find the value of an array key. Regardless of how deep within the array it is to be found.
Say if I would use $registry->getSetting( 'template', 'default' ); I am supposed to get the value of $this->properties['settings']['template']['default'] or if I would you $registry->getSetting( 'users', 1, 'name', 'first' ); I would expect it to return the value of $this->properties['users'][1]['name']['first'] (just a second example with a couple of extra arguments).
Now, to do something like this, I could count the amount of arguments passed using func_num_args() and then do a switch with different cases. Although, this would limit it to a certain amount of keys.
So I am asking you if there is a way of doing this, to allow an "unlimited" amount rather than a fixed amount of arguments to access a deeper key of an array.
<?PHP
class Registry
{
// Values are actually fetched from a config file, but for easier understanding
private $properties = array(
'settings' => array(
'template' => array(
'default' => 'default',
'caching' => TRUE
)
)
);
public function getSetting( )
{
// do something like
// return $this->properties['settings'][func_get_args( )];
}
}
?>
Any help whatsoever is highly appreciated.
Thank you!

Answer 1

<?PHP
class Registry
{
// Values are actually fetched from a config file, but for easier understanding
private $properties = array(
'settings' => array(
'template' => array(
'default' => 'default',
'caching' => TRUE
)
)
);
public function getSetting()
{
$result = $this->properties;
foreach (func_get_args() as $arg) {
if (isset($result[$arg])) {
$result = $result[$arg];
} else {
return;
}
}
return $result;
}
}
$r = new Registry();
var_dump($r->getSetting('settings', 'template', 'default'));
?>

Answer 2

Hmm, I'm not sure if this is what you want, but this is straight from the PHP manual:
Variable-length argument lists
PHP 4 and above has support for
variable-length argument lists in
user-defined functions. This is really
quite easy, using the func_num_args(),
func_get_arg(), and func_get_args()
functions.
No special syntax is required, and
argument lists may still be explicitly
provided with function definitions and
will behave as normal.
I would just loop over the arguments and output them into a single array (I might be misinterpreting your question):
$output = array();
$arguments = func_get_args();
foreach ($argument as $arg)
{
$output[$arg] = $this->properties['settings'][$arg];
}
return $output;
Good luck?

Answer 3

I don't know if there is a PHP function which can do this, but my way is working fine too:
class Registry
{
// Values are actually fetched from a config file, but for easier understanding
private $properties = array(
'settings' => array(
'template' => array(
'default' => 'default',
'caching' => TRUE
)
)
);
public function getSetting( $array = array() )
{
$return = $this->properties['settings'];
foreach( $array as $a )
{
$return = $return[$a];
}
return $return;
}
}
then use:
$Registry = new Registry();
$template = $Registry->getSetting(array( 'template' ) );
$template_caching = $Registry->getSetting(array( 'template', 'caching' ) );

Answer 4

Use dot as separator for nested arrays:
Registry::getAttribute('first.second.1.value'); // will return $ar['first']['second'][1]['value']
In getAttribute explode param by . and map it into registry values.

Answer 5

Something like this (untested):
function getSetting ( /* .. */ )
{
$args = func_get_args();
array_unshift( $args, $this->properties );
return getSettingInternal( $args );
}
function getSettingInternal ( $args )
{
$arr = $args[0];
if ( count( $args ) > 1 )
{
$key = array_slice( $args, 1, 1 );
if ( !is_array( $arr ) )
return $arr;
$arr = array_key_exists( $arr, $key ) ? $arr[$key] : $arr['default'];
$args[0] = $arr;
return getSettingInternal( $args );
}
else
return $arr;
}