sub array from larger array

[agravayne]

Hello All,

 

I was wondering if the following is possible. I have a page that is makeing several large sql queries and dropping them into arrays but much of the data is duplicated so what I would rather do is drop all the data into one large array them create smaller arays on the fly as they are needed from this. Here is a simple example.

 

The larger array would contain the following keys - Serial Number, Type, Group, Name

 

I would then for example need to create an array of all the different distinct group names. So for example this would result in Group1, Group2 etc. I would them for each of these loop back though the large array and get al the serial numbers accociated with each group. So all serials nubers whose group is Group1.

 

Firstly I cannot see how to create the sub array of groups. Secondly how would I do the search in the array. It wouuld be the equivalent of a sql query select * from array where Group=Group1 if you see what I mean.

 

Secondly - would using arrays like this be significantly faster than the multiple queries I am now using?

 

Hope this is clear.

 

Scott

[unkwntech]

Could you model what you want and what your data looks like.