Create Multidimensional array from text lines

Question

If you have a text file like this:

item1
item1 > item3
item1 > item3 > item4
item1 > item5
item1 > item5 > item6 > item7
item2 > item8
item2 > item8 > item9

And I want a array that looks like this:

How should I make this in PHP? I have no idea where to start. Thanks.

what should be the value for each, you just mentioned then as keys — Prasanth Bendra
– Prasanth Bendra, Commented Feb 1, 2013 at 9:05

Yoshi · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-01 09:21:41Z

Here's a very simple way to approach your problem. The result is not exactly the same (the last element is also an array) but this is more flexible I think:

$input = array(
  'item1',
  'item1 > item3',
  'item1 > item3 > item4',
  'item1 > item5',
  'item1 > item5 > item6 > item7',
  'item2 > item8',
  'item2 > item8 > item9',
);

$data = array();
foreach ($input as $line) {
  $parent =& $data;  
  foreach (array_map('trim', explode('>', $line)) as $el) {
    if (!isset($parent[$el])) {
      $parent[$el] = array();
    }

    $parent =& $parent[$el];
  }
}

print_r($data);

/*
Array (
  [item1] => Array (
    [item3] => Array (
      [item4] => Array ()
    )
    [item5] => Array (
      [item6] => Array (
        [item7] => Array ()
      )
    )
  )
  [item2] => Array (
    [item8] => Array (
       [item9] => Array ()
    )
  )
)
*/

demo: http://codepad.viper-7.com/IwZFQ3

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