Update associative array through a function

Question

I need to update a specific key of an associative array thrue a function. Is it possible ?

IMPORTANT, in $PATH_TAB = &$TAB_cars['car_1']['blue']; $TAB_cars['car_1']['blue'] can be different : $TAB_cars['car_1']['type']['light'], etc.

$TAB_cars = [
        'car_1' => [
            'red' => '',
            'blue' => '',
            'type' => [
                   'light' => '',
                   'big' => ''
                      ]
                    ],
        'car_2' => [
            'green' => '',
            'brown' => ''
            ]
        ];


function UpdateArray($PATH_TAB_2) {
    $PATH_TAB_2 = 'TEST 2';
}


$PATH_TAB_1 = &$TAB_cars['car_1']['blue'];
UpdateArray($PATH_TAB_1);

print_r($TAB_cars);

You need to either `return` in your function or have it pass-by-reference — Patrick Q, Nov 26 '19 at 14:13
Well, try to do something like : `$newArray = UpdateArray($PATH_TAB);` with `function UpdateArray($array, $path_tab) { /* update the $path_tab in your $array */ return $array; }` — Mickaël Leger, Nov 26 '19 at 14:15
I can't understand this sentence _IMPORTANT, in $PATH_TAB = &$TAB_cars['car_1']['blue']; $TAB_cars['car_1']['blue'] can be different : "deeper" or not._ — nice_dev, Nov 26 '19 at 14:16
@vivek_23 I just updated the sentence. Is it clear now ? THX — Jean, Nov 26 '19 at 14:26
`function UpdateArray(&$PATH_TAB_2)`, then this would work. Rather terrible coding though, if you’d asked me. So far from your question it is not clear, what advantage that would be supposed to have, over just going `$TAB_cars['car_1']['blue'] = 'TEST 2';` directly. — 04FS, Nov 26 '19 at 14:32
I have a slight suspicion that what you are actually trying to ask, is similar to https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9628176/using-a-string-path-to-set-nested-array-data — 04FS, Nov 26 '19 at 14:35
@04FS THX for the solution. And no, I already saw this solution before... THX again — Jean, Nov 26 '19 at 14:40

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 26 '19 at 14:41

The answer is (THX to @04FS) :

$TAB_cars = [
        'car_1' => [
            'red' => '',
            'blue' => '',
            'type' => [
                   'light' => '',
                   'big' => ''
                      ]
                    ],
        'car_2' => [
            'green' => '',
            'brown' => ''
            ]
        ];





function UpdateArray(&$PATH_TAB_2) {
    $PATH_TAB_2 = 'TEST 2';
}

$PATH_TAB_1 = &$TAB_cars['car_1']['blue'];
UpdateArray($PATH_TAB_1);

print_r($TAB_cars);

Update associative array through a function

1 Answers1