Needles, haystacks, and arrays

[NotionCommotion]

I have the following mapping array:

 

array(
  array('name'=>'nothing','options'=>array()),
  array('name'=>'aaa','options'=>array('a')),

  array('name'=>'bbb','options'=>array('b')),

  array('name'=>'ccc','options'=>array('c')),

  array('name'=>'aaa and bbb','options'=>array('a','b')),

  array('name'=>'aaa and ccc','options'=>array('a','c')),

  array('name'=>'bbb and ccc','options'=>array('b','c')),

  array('name'=>'aaa, bbb, and ccc','options'=>array('a','b','c'))
)

 

 

Given array(), I would like to return 'nothing', given array('c'), I would like to return 'ccc', given array('b','c'), I would like to return 'bbb and ccc', given array('a','b','c'), I would like to return 'aaa, bbb, and ccc', etc.  How is this best accomplished?

 

As an alternate solution, instead of being given the above arrays, I could be given the following strings "", "c", "b~c", "a~b~c" and I can change the above mapping array to include these strings instead of the arrays I show.   Please reference http://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/292921-query-table-and-return-sub-arrays/ for history.  Would this be a better approach?  How would I ensure the order of the JOINed values were always in the correct order for my mapping array?

[Adam]

Do your homework.

[hansford]

I don't even fully understand the question of what you/they are wanting. 

 

You have a main array and within the array you have other arrays.

 

So,

array[0] = a key/value paired array.

to access you would do:

array[0]['name'];
array['options'] = an empty array.
array[0]['options'][0] = first element of empty array.

You can determine how to access subsequent arrays and their values by determining if the array is an indexed array or a key/value array.

[NotionCommotion]

Let me give a working example.  Is this really the best way to accomplish this, or is there a better way?

<?php
function test($map,$array1)
{
    $value=false;
    foreach($map as $elem) {
        if(array_diff($array1, $elem['options']) === array_diff($elem['options'], $array1)) {
            $value=$elem['name'];
            break;
        }
    }
    return $value;
}

$map=array(
    array('name'=>'nothing','options'=>array()),
    array('name'=>'aaa','options'=>array('a')),
    array('name'=>'bbb','options'=>array('b')),
    array('name'=>'ccc','options'=>array('c')),
    array('name'=>'aaa and bbb','options'=>array('a','b')),
    array('name'=>'aaa and ccc','options'=>array('a','c')),
    array('name'=>'bbb and ccc','options'=>array('b','c')),
    array('name'=>'aaa, bbb, and ccc','options'=>array('a','b','c'))
);

echo(test($map,array()).'<br>');
echo(test($map,array('c')).'<br>');
echo(test($map,array('b','c')).'<br>');
echo(test($map,array('a','b','c')).'<br>');

?>

[Barand]

If your arrays and options are always sorted in the same order

function test($map,$array1)
{
    $value=false;
    foreach($map as $elem) {
        if($array1 == $elem['options']) {
            $value=$elem['name'];
            break;
        }
    }
    return $value;
}

[NotionCommotion]

 

If your arrays and options are always sorted in the same order

 

 

I am currently not positive.

 

I am sure you know, and while in hindsight it is obvious, array('a','b') does not have equality (and obviously not identity) to array('b','a').