[Resolved] Problem sorting a multidem array

[Dixen]

This started as a problem with a SELECT statement that has evolved into a problem with sorting an array...

The original Thread on the Database fora, if you would like to check it out is here:

http://www.phpbuilder.com/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10278121

The current problem is using multi-sort to sort an array that was built using several SQL statements over two while construncts:

    $alphanum = $db->sql_numrows($alpharesult = $db->sql_query("SELECT countryname,countrynum,max(date) 
AS date FROM ".$prefix."_".$table." 
GROUP BY countryname,countrynum"));
    $alpharow = mysql_fetch_array($alpharesult);
    $a = 0;
    while ($a < $alphanum) {
     $alphalist[$a]['countryname'] = mysql_result($alpharesult,$a,"countryname");
     $alphalist[$a]['countrynum'] = mysql_result($alpharesult,$a,"countrynum");
     $alphalist[$a]['date'] = mysql_result($alpharesult,$a,"date");
     $a++;
    }
    $b = 0;
    while ($b < $alphanum) {
     $countryname = $alphalist[$b]['countryname'];
     $countrynum = $alphalist[$b]['countrynum'];
     $date = $alphalist[$b]['date'];
     $betaresult = $db->sql_query("SELECT * FROM ".$prefix."_".$table." WHERE date=$date");
     $alphalist[$b]['troops'] = mysql_result($betaresult,0,"troops");
     $b++;
    }

// this little piece of code is from 
[url]http://www.php.net/manual/en/functi...y-multisort.php[/url]  I was having trouble with my sort and thought it might help.
    foreach ($alphalist as $key => $row) {
     $countryname[$key] = $row["countryname"];
     $countrynum[$key] = $row["countrynum"];
     $date[$key] = $row["date"];
     $troops[$key] = $row["troops"];
    }
    array_multisort($troops, SORT_DESC);

I have used the print_r() function to verify that $alphalist does in fact contain the correct information... I now just need to get it to sort by "troops" DESC and I'm done. Any help as to what is causing the problem would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Dixen]

Okay, I searched through the threads in this fora and found one that I did not see before:

http://www.phpbuilder.com/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10227827

In this thread it gives the following code:

    function array_csort(&$arr, $column=3, $order='desc') { 
		  $order = ($order == 'asc') ? SORT_ASC : SORT_DESC;   

	  foreach ($arr as $a) { 
	    $keys = array_keys($a); 
	    $sortarr[] = $a[$keys[$column]]; 
	  } 
	  array_multisort(&$sortarr, $order, &$arr, $order); 
	} // array_csort

This code will sort your arrays by the column number you select. I'm not sure how PHP decides to place columns so it might take a little changing to figure out your specific needs. as you can see by my copy/paste that I have assigned col 3 to be the sort col, yetI thought the col I wanted was in the 4th position. shrugs

I'll have to figure that one out later.