Help with sorting arrays numerically

[cascade]

I have an array I need to sort by a field numerically, but it almost seems like php cannot do this, I've come close with the sorting function in This thread.

Here is a sample of my array that I need to sort numerically by the [sla] field.

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [caseNumber] => 126
            [contact_last_name] => Blah
            [no_of_pcs] => 
            [status] => Open
            [building] => Blah
            [location] => G52-11
            [date] => 
            [schdtime] => 
            [date_assigned] => 
            [assigner] => Blah
            [sla] => 10.1
            [sla_sort] => 
        )

[1] => Array
    (
        [caseNumber] => 1035
        [contact_last_name] => Blah
        [no_of_pcs] => 
        [status] => Equipment received 
        [building] => Blah
        [location] => NA
        [date] => 
        [schdtime] => 
        [date_assigned] => 
        [assigner] => Blah
        [sla] => 3
        [sla_sort] => 
    )

[2] => Array
    (
        [caseNumber] => 1030
        [contact_last_name] => Blah
        [no_of_pcs] => 
        [status] => Equipment received 
        [building] => Blah
        [location] => NA
        [date] => 
        [schdtime] => 
        [date_assigned] => 
        [assigner] => Blah
        [sla] => 11.4
        [sla_sort] => 
    )

[3] => Array
    (
        [caseNumber] => 1031
        [contact_last_name] => NA
        [no_of_pcs] => 
        [status] => Equipment received 
        [building] => Blah
        [location] => NA
        [date] => 
        [schdtime] => 
        [date_assigned] => 
        [assigner] => Blah
        [sla] => 2.9
        [sla_sort] => 
    )

Originally this array is queried from my database, & the sla field was varchar. I tried to use settype() inside the sort function as this field should remain as text, but have since changed it to float as part of my trouble shooting.

Currently when I sort this, I get the order:
[0]
[2]
[3]
[1]

But what I need is:
[3]
[1]
[0]
[2]

Numerically by the sla field! I can't believe this is so difficult. Before I founf the above thread, all I could get with any of the PHP sorting functions was a "1" when I used print_r.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

-Sam

[HalfaBee]

Why don't you sort it in your SQL

SELECT * from table WHERE ... ORDER BY sla

HalfaBee

[cascade]

Thanks for your reply HalfaBee,

This array actually comes from 2 different queries, where I loop through the first query & come up with the caseNumber field, then query the 2nd table (which unfortunatly is contained in a different database) to match the sla field with the caseNumber field & fill the array. I've also tried a left join query that someone else suggested & helped me out with, but it still never sorted correctly. It continued to sort like a text field even after changing the field type toa float. Its like PHP can't sort arrays by that number.

-Sam

[HalfaBee]

Have a look ata array_multisort()

I don't know whether it will do what you want, I couldn't get it to do what I wanted 🙁

Also have a look at natsort()
You may be able to use this function.
It works for words with numbers, maybe it knows about float's as well.

HalfaBee