Array - Loop through, group together by key value, and then print/echo new values (various array levels)

Question

I'm having trouble printing the results of this array in loop (to be displayed on the front end). The objective to be able to get the chapter name (eg, Chapter_Name_Unique), that chapter name's total chapter post views count, and then the fullname of each chapter_member within that chapter name (or group). I'm thinking that something isn't structured properly here, because I'm having issues looping through.

Is my logic off?

print_r looks like this:

Array
(
 [Chapter_Name_Unique] => Array
    (
        [chapter_post_views_count] => 3338
        [chapter_members] => Array
            (
                [0] => Array
                    (
                        [post_views_count] => 3338
                        [first_name] => Mary
                        [last_name] => Jane
                        [fullname] => maryjane
                        [chapter_name] => Chapter_Name_Unique
                    )

            )

    )

[Chapter_Name_Unique_2] => Array
    (
        [chapter_post_views_count] => 783
        [chapter_members] => Array
            (
                [0] => Array
                    (                    
                        [post_views_count] => 404
                        [first_name] => Betty
                        [last_name] => Lou
                        [fullname] => bettylou
                        [chapter_name] => Chapter_Name_Unique_2
                    )

                [1] => Array
                    (
                        [post_views_count] => 379
                        [first_name] => Judy
                        [last_name] => Jones
                        [fullname] => judyjones
                        [chapter_name] => Chapter_Name_Unique_2
                    )
            )
    )
)

and the actual functions look like this:

$grouped_types = array();

// to add together post counts of group members
foreach($users as $chapter){ 
$grouped_types[$chapter['chapter_name']]['chapter_post_views_count'] += $chapter['post_views_count'];
}

// to group on top level by chapter_name
foreach($users as $chapter){ 
$grouped_types[$chapter['chapter_name']]['chapter_members'][] = $chapter;
}

echo "<pre>";
print_r( $grouped_types );
echo "</pre>";

Looking at your array output you should be able to get those two values with: `foreach($grouped_types as $chapter_name_unique => $vars) { $chapter_post_views = $vars['chapter_post_views_count']; }` — scrowler, Aug 11 '14 at 01:52
Question - if I wanted to sort this by [chapter_post_views_count] - what is the best method/time to do this, before or after the foreach loop (the final one commented below)? — Caroline, Aug 11 '14 at 13:14
[Have a look at this question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17364127/reference-all-basic-ways-to-sort-arrays-and-data-in-php) — scrowler, Aug 11 '14 at 20:48

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 11 '14 at 01:57

Try something like (assuming that $users is your array from your print_r())

$grouped_types = array();

foreach($users as $chapter=>$data){ 

    $grouped_types[$chapter]['chapter_post_views_count'] = $data['chapter_post_views_count'];

    foreach($data['chapter_members'] as $member){ 

        $grouped_types[$chapter]['chapter_members'][] = $members['fullname'];

    }

}

echo "<pre>";
print_r( $grouped_types );
echo "</pre>";

score -1 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 11 '14 at 13:01

Thanks so much guys, your tips really helped. I wound up using a bit from both, and pulling this together:

foreach( $grouped_types as $chapter_name_unique => $vars) { 
$chapter_post_views = $vars['chapter_post_views_count'];
$chapter_members = $vars['chapter_members']; 

echo $chapter_name_unique; // echo chapter name (level 1)
echo $chapter_post_views; // echo chapter post views (level 2 - $vars before)

foreach( $vars['chapter_members'] as $member){ // loop through all chapter_members

    $vars['chapter_members'][] = $member['fullname'];
    echo $member['fullname']; // echo all usernames within the group

    }
}

In combination with the two other foreach statements above (they resort and add things together saving to the $grouped_types array), this works exactly as I needed it to. (Hopefully not too much unnecessary looping?)

Thanks again!

Array - Loop through, group together by key value, and then print/echo new values (various array levels)

2 Answers2