"fast" select from multidimensional array?

[lfernando]

Hi there,

 

Does anyone know how to select from a mutlidimensional array, and put the results in a new array?

I figured it out but it takes a long time. My array is huge (over 1000+ items) and this search is performed about 50 times before loading the page.

 

My array is called $tasks  and it looks like this

$tasks=Array(
[0]=>array([id]=>"12"; [owner]=>"nancy"; [task]=>"clean the house"); 
[1]=>array([id]=>"23"; [owner]=>"toby"; [task]=>"do homework"); 
[2]=>array([id]=>"43"; [owner]=>"dan"; [task]=>"take out trash"); 
[3]=>array([id]=>"32"; [owner]=>"nancy"; [task]=>"cook dinner");
) 

I want to be able to select from $tasks where owner="nancy", so i end up with this

$nancy_tasks=array(
[0]=>array([id]=>"12"; [owner]=>"nancy"; [task]=>"clean the house"); 
[1]=>array([id]=>"32"; [owner]=>"nancy"; [task]=>"cook dinner")
)

Thank you!!!

[xyph]

Is 'owner' a unique value? Structure your array like this

 

$tasks = array(
'nancy' => array(
	array( 'id'=>12,'task'=>'clean the house'),
	array( 'id'=>32,'task'=>'cook dinner')
),
'toby' => array(
	array( 'id'=>43,'task'=>'take out trash')
)
);

 

That way, the job is already done for you.

[lfernando]

Hi. Thank you for your reply.

The thing is that sometimes i need to pull them by owner, sometimes by task, or other rows.

Any  other suggestions?

[lfernando]

Also, sometimes I may have to select by two rows (ie, select all elements where "owner=nancy" AND "task=misc")

 

[xyph]

Use a relational database in this case.

 

SQLite is light, fast, and doesn't require it's own server to run. Everything's stored in flat files, and unless it's disabled every PHP5 build should have it available.