Exclude elements of one array from another array

Question

I need to exclude elements of the array $tempobjects from the array $objects. What is the quickest way to do this?

$objects = new MyObjects();
$tempobjects = new MyObjects();

for($i=0; $i<10; $i++) {
  $objects->addObject(new MyObject(...));
}

//...fill $tempobjects with some temporary data

$tempobjects = $objects - $tempobjects; // HOW TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

Looks like $objects and $tempObjects are objects (or objects that comprise a collection of data) rather than arrays — Mark Baker, May 16 '13 at 16:04
`array_diff` or `array_diff_assoc` are the usual ways to do this for arrays, but as mark baker said, you have objects, so those functions probably won't work. try converting your objects to arrays. — user428517, May 16 '13 at 16:06
Possible duplicate of [PHP: remove duplicate items in an array](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5036403/php-remove-duplicate-items-in-an-array) — Anigel, May 16 '13 at 16:06
@sgroves do you know if it would work if both of the objects in question implemented the ArrayAccess Interface? — Orangepill, May 16 '13 at 16:07
@Anigel, in this case is not an array... Maybe he will need to add a method on the class that does this for him. — Henrique Barcelos, May 16 '13 at 16:07
@HenriqueBarcelos Indeed you are correct, I made the mistake of looking at what was asked rather than what the code said. — Anigel, May 16 '13 at 16:10
@sgroves just confirmed you where right... gives a warning "Argument #1 in not an array" :( — Orangepill, May 16 '13 at 16:20
try typecasting your objects to arrays, e.g. `$new_objects = (array) $objects;` — user428517, May 16 '13 at 16:22

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered May 16 '13 at 16:21

If $tempobjects and $objects were arrays (like your title mentions), which based on your sample code they are not, you could exclude elements using functions array_diff() (for comparing values) or array_diff_key() (for comparing keys).

See, also, this short demo.

Exclude elements of one array from another array

1 Answers1