Help splitting an array into arrays

[Rifts]

Hey guys,

 

I have an array of names sorted alphabetically. I'm trying to loop through them and create new arrays keyed by the letters of the alphabet containing the names which start with that letter.

 

 

so in the end i'm trying to create something like this:

 

$newarray = array( 'a' => array('anna','alan','andrew'),

                               'b' => array('bert','ben','bob'),
                               'c' => array('cait','carry'),

                                 etc,etc );

 

thanks

 

 

 

 

[Barand]

try

    $names = array ('anna','bert','ben','cait','alan','andrew','bob','carry');
    sort($names);
    foreach ($names as $n) {
        $newArray[$n[0]][] = $n;
    }

[Rifts]

You sir are a god among men. Thank you.

 

 

now what if in the names array there were some non-alpha values like numbers. How could I get all those into an array with the key '#' ?

Edited October 8, 2014 by Rifts

[Barand]

do you mean

$nums = array (1234,28975,9258,44,950,40582,21,456);
    sort($nums);
    foreach ($nums as $n) {
        $x = "$n";    // cast the number as a string
        $newArray[$x[0]][] = $n;
    }

Gives

Array
(
    [2] => Array
        (
            [0] => 21
            [1] => 28975
        )

    [4] => Array
        (
            [0] => 44
            [1] => 456
            [2] => 40582
        )

    [9] => Array
        (
            [0] => 950
            [1] => 9258
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1234
        )

)

[Rifts]

No sorry for not explaining better.

 

I meant 

 

$names = array ('anna','bert','ben','cait','alan','andrew','bob','carry', '23 kenny','10','43 lala');

 

I was going to try something like this

foreach ($names as $n) {

       if( is_numeric($n)) {
           $newArray[$n[0]]['#'] = $n;
       } else {
        $newArray[$n[0]][] = $n;

       }
    }

Edited October 8, 2014 by Rifts

[Barand]

OK, plan B

    $names = array ('anna','bert','ben','cait','alan','andrew','bob','carry', '23 kenny','10','43 lala');
    sort($names); 
    foreach ($names as $n) {
        $x = "$n";    // cast the name as a string
        if (is_numeric($x[0]))
            $newArray['#'][] = $n;
        else
            $newArray[$x[0]][] = $n;
    }

Gives

Array
(
    [#] => Array
        (
            [0] => 10
            [1] => 23 kenny
            [2] => 43 lala
        )

    [a] => Array
        (
            [0] => alan
            [1] => andrew
            [2] => anna
        )

    [b] => Array
        (
            [0] => ben
            [1] => bert
            [2] => bob
        )

    [c] => Array
        (
            [0] => cait
            [1] => carry
        )

)

[QuickOldCar]

You may want to use natsort() on the array if want the natural order for numbers.

If are grouping 0-9 by first characters sort() is fine