in_array() help

[mfacer]

i need to search using in_array() but it's a 3d array...

$my_array = array(
				array("id"=>3, "name"=>"Matt"),
				array("id"=>4, "name"=>"James")
			     );

how do I search in_array for id=4?
I understand that if the array was

array(4,3,5,7) for example, a simply in_array(4,$my_array) would work ok. I just dont know how to reference the inner array without creating a loop... is that the only way??

[Installer]

mfacer wrote:

...without creating a loop... is that the only way?

No, it's not (code below). But loops, for what it's worth, aren't inherently evil and are often necessary. Even the in_array function itself has to loop, albeit "behind the scenes".

if (!empty($my_array)) }
    if ($my_array[0]['id'] == 4) {
        echo $my_array[0]['name'];
    }
}
if (count($my_array) >= 2)) {
    if ($my_array[1]['id'] == 4) {
        echo $my_array[1]['name'];
    }
}
if (count($my_array) >= 3) {
    if ($my_array[2]['id'] == 4) {
        echo $my_array[2]['name'];
    }
}
if (count($my_array) >= 4) {
    if ($my_array[3]['id'] == 4) {
        echo $my_array[3]['name'];
    }
}
if (count($my_array) >= 5) {
    if ($my_array[4]['id'] == 4) {
        echo $my_array[4]['name'];
    }
}
// And so on.

Of course, that will work only if you put in enough blocks to cover any possible size of the array.

btw, that's a 2d array, not 3.

[mfacer]

aah ok...... it's coming from a database, so i wouldnt know how many blocks to use...

what I've done in the mean time is simply name the array with the id, rather than using the array_push...eg:

$my_array[$customer_id] = array("name"=>$name, "age"=>$age);

then I can simply say if (array($my_array[$customer_id])) { blah }

cheers for the ideas 🙂

[Installer]

Here's a serious suggestion:

foreach ($arr as $key => $val) {
    if ($val['id'] == 4) {
        echo '$arr[' . $key . '][id] == 4';
        break;
    }
}