simple way to change the key value of an array element [duplicate]

Question

Possible Duplicate:
In PHP, how do you change the key of an array element?

I am reading in a bunch of multi-dimensional arrays, and while digging through them I have noticed that some of the keys are incorrect.

For each incorrect key, I simply want to change it to zero:

from:

$array['bad_value']

to:

$array[0]

I want to retain the value of the array element, I just want to change what that individual key is. Suggestions appreciated.

Cheers

As has been said you can't have multiple keys with the same name e.g. 0. What is it you're trying to do? Is it acceptable to split these keys out into a separate array? — RMcLeod
– RMcLeod, Commented Nov 3, 2009 at 13:42
sorry, when i said 0, it just has to be numeric, so it could be 1 or 2 and so on. That isn't the problem, some of the keys are coming back with some weird stuff in them that I need to get rid of. — Evernoob
– Evernoob, Commented Nov 3, 2009 at 13:51

NDM · Accepted Answer · 2009-11-03 13:38:25Z

7

if you change multiple keys to 0 you will overwrite the values...

you could do it this way

$badKey = 'bad_value';
$array[0] = $array[$badKey];
unset($array[$badKey]);

answered Nov 3, 2009 at 13:38

NDM

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mauris · Accepted Answer · 2009-11-03 13:37:50Z

3

Bruteforce method:

$array[0] = $array['bad_value'];
unset($array['bad_value']);

answered Nov 3, 2009 at 13:37

mauris

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4 Comments

Evernoob Over a year ago

yeah but since this array is part of a multidimensional array I need to maintain its position in its containing array

mauris Over a year ago

you can't maintain the position while changing the key - can you?

Evernoob Over a year ago

not unless the position is numeric, which it is.

mauris Over a year ago

nope. Even when numeric, the position might not be in order. Read up documentation on PHP Arrays and Internal Pointers. You can sort around the array, but the keys remain.

silent · Accepted Answer · 2009-11-03 13:42:03Z

0

$array['0'][] = $array['bad_value'];
unset( $array['bad_value'] );

Then it will be an array in $array['0'] with values of broken elements.

answered Nov 3, 2009 at 13:42

silent

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Comments

RMcLeod · Accepted Answer · 2009-11-03 14:34:08Z

-2

Well seeing as you said the keys can be changed to any numeric value how about this?

$bad_keys = array('bad_key_1', 'bad_key_2' ...);
$i = 0;
foreach($bad_keys as $bad_key) {
    $array[$i] = $array[$bad_key];
    unset($array[$bad_key]);
    $i++;
}

EDIT: The solution I gave was horrible and didn't really solve the problem as there are multiple bad keys, this should be better.

edited Nov 3, 2009 at 14:34

answered Nov 3, 2009 at 14:05

RMcLeod

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1 Comment

Damien MATHIEU Over a year ago

That's awful. There's absolutely no need to loop on the entire array. PHP perfectly knows how to get a named array element without looping the whole of it.

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