PHP array - explode some comma separated elements into new items

Question

How can I take an array with individual strings but also comma separated strings and explode the comma separated items into individual items? For instance:

while(($row =  mysql_fetch_array($downloads_query))) {
        $product_array[] = $row['product']; 
    }

$product_array[] returns:

item 1: "10003"
item 2: "10016"
item 3: "10008, 10007, 10010"

How can I split item 3 into individual items 3, 4 and 5 so that $product_array returns:

item 1: "10003"
item 2: "10016"
item 3: "10008"
item 4: "10007"
item 5: "10010"

Please, don't use mysql_* functions in new code. They are no longer maintained and are officially deprecated. See the red box? Learn about prepared statements instead, and use PDO or MySQLi - this article will help you decide which. If you choose PDO, here is a good tutorial. — Mayank K. Swami
– Mayank K. Swami, Commented May 10, 2013 at 6:04
@SaVaFa Yes, I know I have to use explode. But I am not sure how to implement it because doesn't explode return another array? Would I simply iterate over the exploded array and push to the original array? I assume there's a more elegant solution? — frankie
– frankie, Commented May 10, 2013 at 6:07

Menno · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-10 06:18:43Z

5

explode() - PHP.net:

Explodes a string based on the given delimiter, result is an array. Worth mentioning: if there's not a single delimiter inside your string, it will still convert to an array like Array ( [0] => abc ). This means you don't even need to cast your items 1 and 2 to an array in order to allow array_merge() to function correctly.

array_merge() - PHP.net:

Merges multiple arrays into a new array.

$items = new array();
while(($row =  mysql_fetch_array($downloads_query))) {
    $items = array_merge($items, explode(',', $item3));
}

edited May 10, 2013 at 6:18

answered May 10, 2013 at 6:11

Menno

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Comments

Svetoslav · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-10 06:08:53Z

1

while(($row =  mysql_fetch_array($downloads_query))) {
        if(strpos($row['product'],',') > -1){
                $product_array += explode(',',$row['product']);
        } else {
                $product_array[] = $row['product']; 
        }
    }

Here is fast solution :) if there is comma it will explode it before adding it into your array.

As other people notice myslq_ functions are deprecated .. Better use mysqli or PDO instead :)

answered May 10, 2013 at 6:08

Svetoslav

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Comments

Tarun Singhal · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-10 06:31:05Z

1

You can try like this:

while(($row = mysql_fetch_array($downloads_query))) {
  if(strstr($row['product'], ',')) {
    $product_array = array_merge(explode(',',$row['product']), $product_array);
  } else {
   $product_array[] = $row['product'];
  } 
}

answered May 10, 2013 at 6:31

Tarun Singhal

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1 Comment

mickmackusa Over a year ago

This is a code-only answer that does not employ best practice. See the php manual Note that states using strstr() to check the existence of a substring is not efficient. As shown by other answers, no conditional is required at all; this means a second loss of efficiency due to unnecessary iterated function calls.

hamedkh · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-10 06:09:52Z

0

You can user explode() function in php and the merge the return array into $product_array. somthing like this:

$product_array = array_merge(explode(',', $commaSeperatedArray), $product_array);

answered May 10, 2013 at 6:09

hamedkh

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Comments

mickmackusa · Accepted Answer · 2022-09-24 11:35:35Z

The professional advice is to not do what you are doing. You should not be storing comma-separated values in table columns. These should be in their own table and JOINed when needed.

Anyhow, you can unconditionally explode and push the generated array into the perpetually flat result array using the spread operator (...).

Code: (Demo)

$array = [
    "10003",
    "10016",
    "10008, 10007, 10010",
];

$result = [];
foreach ($downloads_query as $row) {
    array_push($result, ...explode(', ', $row['product']));
}
var_export($result);

Output:

array (
  0 => '10003',
  1 => '10016',
  2 => '10008',
  3 => '10007',
  4 => '10010',
)

Alternatively, just join the strings with the same delimiting substring as the delimited values, then explode on that same delimiter. (Demo)

var_export(
    explode(', ', implode(', ', $array))
);

The Marlboro Man · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-10 06:10:13Z

Untested, but here it goes.

function process_array($row)
{
    $result=array();
    $product=$row['product'];

    if(strpos($product, ',')!==false)
    {
        $result[]=explode(',', $product);
    }
    else
    {
        $result[]=$product;
    }

    return $result;
}

/////

$product_array=array();

while(($row =  mysql_fetch_array($downloads_query))) 
{
    $product_array=array_merge($product_array, proccess_array($row))
}

You get the idea...

Shankar Narayana Damodaran · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-10 06:43:10Z

-1

Make use of preg_split() instead of explode(). You can add any number of delimiters you want inside the function.

<?php
while(($row =  mysql_fetch_array($downloads_query))) {
        $string .= $row['product']." "; 
    }
    $product_array = preg_split( "/[;, ]/", $string);
?>

edited May 10, 2013 at 6:43

answered May 10, 2013 at 6:14

Shankar Narayana Damodaran

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4 Comments

Menno Over a year ago

Why would you use preg_split()? There is not a single requirement mentioned that OP needs to split on multiple delimiters.

Shankar Narayana Damodaran Over a year ago

@Aquillo, What problem do you have with preg_split() ? It does return the same answer what the OP needs and this is pretty faster than your array_merge and explode as you are doing two operations.

Menno Over a year ago

You are appending "10003" "10016" (would become "1000310016") with eachother meaning there's no delimiter to split on? This code won't work.

Menno Over a year ago

You may want to append the space before $row['product'] since this will still result in my earlier mentioned issue. Other than that, good solution.

Anand · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-10 10:48:36Z

-1

$format_Arr = array("test1","test2,test2.1","test3","test4,test5,test6,test7");
$formated_arr = array();
foreach($format_Arr as $arr){
$arr1 = explode(",",$arr);
if(count($arr1)>1){
    $formated_arr = array_merge($formated_arr,explode(',',$arr));
}else{
    $formated_arr[]= $arr;
}
}
print_r($formated_arr);

answered May 10, 2013 at 10:48

Anand

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