[SOLVED] noob: need help sorting a multi-dimensional array alphabetically descending

[sigkill-9]

I have an array that contains movie information and am trying to figure out how to sort it via PHP but need help.

 

Here is a sample of the array:

(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [id] => 1
            [title] => A.I. Artificial Intelligence
            [rating] => PG13
            [description] => Sometime in the distant future, after the polar icecaps have melted....
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [id] => 2
            [title] => Shawshank Redemption
            [rating] => R
            [description] => Andy Dufresne, a mild mannered New England banker, is convicted of murdering his wife....
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [id] => 3
            [title] => Pulp Fiction
            [rating] => R
            [description] => An inside look at a memorable community of criminals.... 
        )
)

 

I know how to ORDER BY in MySQL, but how would I sort this array in descending alphabetical order so that when displayed in an html select drop down box it is ordered by title?

 

E.G.:

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

Pulp Fiction

Shawshank Redemption

[killah]

have you tried array_sort maybe?

[sigkill-9]

yes, i've tried several varients but none seem to work how I need them to.

 

arsort() sorts by ID, not by title

array_multisort($title_array, SORT_DESC) sorts again by ID not by title like I need it to

ksort($title_array, SORT_STRING); also does not give the required results

 

It seems like it should be simple, but i'm going bald pulling out my hair over this thing lol.

Isnt there a way to sort an array by one of it's values? something like:

sigkill_sort($title_array, 'title');

 

Or do I have to make a function to do this? If so, how would I do that???

 

heres my select code. I attempted a ksort but it doesnt work. Doesnt order the titles alphabetically descending like I need:

ksort($title_array['title']);
foreach($title_array as $value) {
$id = $value['id'];
$title = $value['title'];
$t = '<option value="' . $id . '"';

if ($value['id'] === $_POST['id'])
	$t .= ' SELECTED';
echo $t . '>'. $title . '</option>\n';	
}

 

$title_array contains the above mentioned array.

[Stephen68]

Found this article hope it helps some

 

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=31840&seqNum=6

[sigkill-9]

Thanks for the link. I read it and tried to apply it to my array, but it still doesnt seem to be sorting by title in the drop down list like I need it to.

 

Theres go to be a way to do this. I'm new to PHP and dont know a whole lot, but i'm sure theres a way. Doesnt anyone know how to do this?

[premiso]

<?php
function scmp($a, $b, $key="title") {
    return strcmp($a[$key], $b[$key]);
}

$fruits[0]["title"] = "ZShould be last";
$fruits[1]["title"] = "AA Should be first";
$fruits[2]["title"] = "AB Should be second";

usort($fruits, "scmp");

while (list($key, $value) = each($fruits)) {
    echo "\$fruits[$key]: " . $value["title"] . "<br />";
}

die();
?>

 

Never mind the name of the array ($fruits).  That should get you what you want.

[sigkill-9]

Thanks premiso. I adapted your example to my application and it works, it sorts the list, finally

 

I have a question though, while waiting for a response to this post I searched elsewhere for a solution and I found another code that also works.

 

The question is, which of these two codes would be better to use?

 

Your code:

function cmp($a, $b, $key="title") {
    return strcmp($a[$key], $b[$key]);
}

usort($title_array, "cmp");

while (list($key, $value) = each($title_array)) {
    echo "\$title_array[$key]: " . $value["title"] . "<br />";
}

die();

 

Or the other code I found:

function cmp($a, $b) {
return strcmp($a["title"], $b["title"]);
}

usort($title_array, "cmp");

foreach($title_array as $value)
{
   echo $value['title']."<br>";
}

echo "<\pre>";

[premiso]

There really is not a difference.

 

Whichever one you want to use should be fine. (Personally I would stick with the one you found). As mine is adapted for different functionality.