How to echo data from a Multi-Dimensional Array in PHP?

Question

I need to echo/return the data to the page like this:

Catalog: 251-2010
Gauge: 20g
Length: 10cm
Tip Size: 10mm

Here is the array called $vararray. It contains several different arrays of product variation data:

array(3) { 
    [0]=> array(1) { 
        ["251-2010"]=> array(1) { 
            ["Gauge"]=> string(3) "20g" 
        } 
    } 
    [1]=> array(1) { 
        ["251-2010"]=> array(1) { 
            ["Length"]=> string(4) "10cm" 
        } 
    } 
    [2]=> array(1) { 
        ["251-2010"]=> array(1) { 
            ["Tip Size"]=> string(4) "10mm" 
        } 
    } 
}
array(3) { 
    [0]=> array(1) { 
        ["600-VR1620"]=> array(1) { 
            ["Chart Type"]=> string(14) "Shirt" 
        } 
    } 
    [1]=> array(1) { 
        ["600-VR1152"]=> array(1) { 
            ["Chart Type"]=> string(13) "Trousers" 
        } 
    } 
    [2]=> array(1) { 
        ["600-VR16211"]=> array(1) { 
            ["Chart Type"]=> string(13) "Socks" 
        } 
    } 
}

I need something like this:

$vargroup = array();

foreach ($vararray as $vitems) {

    $varmeta = array_values($vararray);

    foreach ($varmeta as $metain => $vardetails) {
  
        vargroup[$metain]['catalog'] = $vardetails['Catalog'];
        vargroup[$metain]['gauge'] = $vardetails['Gauge'];
        vargroup[$metain]['length'] = $vardetails['Length'];
        vargroup[$metain]['tipsize'] = $vardetails['Tip Size'];

    }
    $vars_profile = '';
    foreach ($vargroup as $vgrp) {
        $vars_profile .= $vgrp[catalog] . '<br>' . $vgrp[gauge] . '<br>' . $vgrp[length] . '<br>' . $vgrp[tipsize];
    }
}
return $vars_profile;

I'm having a lot of trouble getting it right. Here is how I need it to look:

Catalog: 251-2010
Gauge: 20g
Length: 10cm
Tip Size: 10mm

Catalog: 600-VR1620
Chart Type: Shirt

Catalog: 600-VR1152
Chart Type: Trousers

Catalog: 600-VR16211
Chart Type: Socks

You shouldn't have return inside the loop. That will stop the loop after the first iteration. — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Jan 12, 2022 at 23:09
Everything starting with $vars_profile = ''; shouldn't be in the first loop. — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Jan 12, 2022 at 23:11

Barmar · Accepted Answer · 2022-01-13 17:46:08Z

1

You can't get all of Catalog, Gauge, Length, and Tip Size from the same $vardetails element, they're in different elements of the array. You need to drill into each element to get its key and value.

You can create $vars_profile in the loop that's processing the original array, you don't need $vargroup.

To show the category only once, use a variable to hold the last value. Only output the category line when this field changes.

$vars_profile = '';

$last_metain = null;
foreach ($vararray as $vitem) {
    foreach ($vitem as $metain => $vardetails) {
        if ($metain != $last_metain) {
            $vars_profile .= "<p>\nCatalog: $metain<br>\n";
            $last_metain = $metain;
        }
        foreach ($vardetails as $key => $value) {
            $vars_profile .= "$key: $value<br>\n";
        }
    }
}

return $vars_profile;

edited Jan 13, 2022 at 17:46

answered Jan 12, 2022 at 23:19

Barmar

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16 Comments

Shay Over a year ago

@Barmer I think this gets a step closer...thank you...but it does not produce the result I need as specified in my original question (please review again). First, the $vitems is only seeing the last item of each array. I tried using $vararray as $vkeys => $vitems instead but $vitems in a var_dump produced only the last item as well. Aside from the minor syntax issues, this code ($vars_profile = "$key: $value</br>";) does not give me the ability to assign a variable to each $key and each $value, which is needed, I think to display what I need.

Barmar Over a year ago

Sorry, I meant to write .= for all the assignments to $vars_profile

Shay Over a year ago

I updated the display of the result I need to include all data from all arrays, so the logic of how I need it to work is clearer. I've been working on this for hours now, and need an epiphany!

Barmar Over a year ago

Shouldn't the second and third VR1620 be VR1152 and VR16211?

Barmar Over a year ago

Can you use var_export($vararray) so I can paste it into code?

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