remove value from array if it matches string - php

Question

I have an array that looks like the below:

staff : staff,company
managers : managers,staff,company
executives : executives,staff,company
customers : customers,company
loyalty members : loyalty members,customers,company
non loyalty : non loyalty,customers,company

The array is made with the following command:

array_push($group_array, "$group : $area");

This array is created from the output of a command and i would like to remove the values staff and customers because for my purposes they are basically parents so i dont want them in my array.

I have been trying to find a way to essentially do this (not my actual php cod)e:

if array_value contains ",group," then remove it

To try and do this i have been trying to use strpos but i cant figure out how to compare the separate areas of my array values. This has only removed all items from my array:

if (strpos($area, ",$group,") !== false) {
    $group_array = array_diff($group_array, group_array(",$group,"));
 }

Additionally my array will not always match exactly the above but it will always follow the same layout e.g. group : group,parent,parent

I am using php in a html page, if i run this at the bottom of my page:


foreach($group_array as $items ){
    echo "$items <br>";
}

My output is blank. I guess because my if is matching everything?

Expected (hoped for ) array would look like this but it is not as simple as remove item 0 and 3 because the array may change:


managers : managers,staff,company
executives : executives,staff,company

loyalty members : loyalty members,customers,company
non loyalty : non loyalty,customers,company

I know i have not worded this well and im expecting a torrent of abuse and downvotes but im trying my best to explain my task and goal.

Please share actual print_r of your input and expected output php array. — kaczmen
– kaczmen, Commented Nov 19, 2019 at 11:33
Instead of removing them from the final array would it be possible to not add them in the first place? A bit more code example would help! — Thomas Gregory
– Thomas Gregory, Commented Nov 19, 2019 at 11:36
the if is clearing my array of any values. im hoping for it to be my array without the string values starting with Staff and Customers — a.smith
– a.smith, Commented Nov 19, 2019 at 11:37
@ThomasGregory higher up in my code i am running a command that builds a much bigger array i am am picking out of that my $group and $area. I can remove it before this part of my code but the problem is the same. How to remove values that contain the string ",$group," — a.smith
– a.smith, Commented Nov 19, 2019 at 11:40

Nick · Accepted Answer · 2019-11-19 12:01:15Z

1

Here's one way to do this. Extract all the group names mentioned between commas using array_reduce and using preg_match_all to find them:

$groups = array_reduce($group_array, function ($c, $v) { 
    preg_match_all('/,(\w+),/', $v, $matches);
    return array_merge($c, $matches[1]);
}, array());

Since there may be duplicates we pass this array through array_unique and then create a regex to match each of the values:

$regex = '/^(' . implode('|', array_unique($groups)) . ')\s*:/';

Then use array_filter to process each value in $group_array, removing those whose value to the left of the : is in the $groups array:

$group_array = array_filter($group_array, function ($v) use ($groups) {
    return !preg_match($regex, $v);
});

Output:

Array
(
    [1] => managers : managers,staff,company
    [2] => executives : executives,staff,company
    [4] => loyalty members : loyalty members,customers,company
    [5] => non loyalty : non loyalty,customers,company
)

Demo on 3v4l.org

edited Nov 19, 2019 at 12:01

answered Nov 19, 2019 at 11:41

Nick

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7 Comments

a.smith Over a year ago

I get the impression you will know how to achieve what im aiming for but this is not quite it. Rather then remove "staff" from the managers and executive strings i want to remove the item staff and like wise the item customers.

Nick Over a year ago

@a.smith yeah, I've read all the comments since I posted the answer and I realised I misinterpreted your question. I'll edit...

Nick Over a year ago

@a.smith I think this new version will give you the results you actually want...

a.smith Over a year ago

Thanks @nick i can see this working in your demo but in my code its still giving me the full array when i loop through it. I have even added the foreach loop that i have in my code to the demo. I am doing and array shift on it before your code because of a different issue with the array and that is fine, if i remove it the first item is put back into the array as expected. So the array is all there when im echoing it out to the page. I dont think your going to be able to help without seeing it all but its fairly long and pretty messy because it used ldap to create the array.

a.smith Over a year ago

Ive updated your demo to give a better reflection of what im doing but it works in there just not in my live code

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