Dynamic add element to multidimensional associative array

Question

I am trying to insert new element into multidimensional associative array like

$arr=array('ID' => 123,
           'name' => 'rock',
           'accountID' => 'u0777f7f-77f7-4d2e-9h7c-ea775d052785',
           'admin' => array  (
                       'main' => array (
                                   'stats' =>'', 
                                   'emails' =>'', 
                                   'calls' => ''
                                )
                         )
            );

 $list='';
 $list .="['admin']['main']['hello']";

 $arr{$list}='world';
 print_r($arr);

But new element is not getting added to ['admin']['main'], instead of that it is creating new array element like

Array
(
    [ID] => 123
    [name] => rock
    [accountID] => u0777f7f-77f7-4d2e-9h7c-ea775d052785
    [admin] => Array
        (
            [main] => Array
                (
                    [stats] => 
                    [emails] => 
                    [calls] => 
                )

        )
   [['admin']['main']['hello']] => world
)

Please help me to solve it. Thanks

Why are you putting array indices into a string and then de-referencing this string? — Aleks G, Aug 31 '12 at 16:52
I am getting add/insert element dynamic as array or array within array. I don't know whether I need to add a element into existing array like [admin][main][hello] or something new like [hello]=>'world' — rock, Aug 31 '12 at 17:07

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 31 '12 at 17:03

0

This is what you should do:

$arr['admin']['main']['hello'] = > 'world';

OR

$main = $arr['admin']['main'];
$main['hello'] = 'world';

answered Aug 31 '12 at 17:03

Broncha

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2

Thanks for answer. What if I want to add new array in $arr somwthing like Array ( [ID] => 123 [name] => rock [accountID] => u0777f7f-77f7-4d2e-9h7c-ea775d052785 [admin] => Array ( [main] => Array ( [stats] => [emails] => [calls] => ) ) [hello] => world ) – rock Aug 31 '12 at 17:10

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 02 '12 at 06:16

[['admin']['main']['hello']] => world

it's because $list considered by STRING

try to change this line

$list='';
$list .="['admin']['main']['hello']"; 
$arr{$list}='world';
print_r($arr);

with

$list = array();
$list['main']['hello'] = "world";
$arr['admin'] = $list;
print_r($arr);

The magic will be revealed. lol

If you wanted $arr like:

Array ( 
     [ID] => 123 
     [name] => rock 
     [accountID] => u0777f7f-77f7-4d2e-9h7c-ea775d052785 
     [admin] => Array ( 
                    [main] => Array ( 
                         [stats] => 
                         [emails] => 
                         [calls] => 
                                    ) 
                       ) 
     [hello] => world 
      )

you can write logically

$arr = array();

$arr['ID'] = 123;
$arr['name'] = "rock";
$arr['accountID'] = "u0777f7f-77f7-4d2e-9h7c-ea775d052785";

$arr['admin']['main']['stats'] = "complete";
$arr['admin']['main']['emails'] = "example@email.com";
$arr['admin']['main']['calls'] = "yourfunction";
$arr['hello'] = "world";

Dynamic add element to multidimensional associative array

2 Answers2