If you are iterating over a multi-dimensional array of objects, you may be tempted to use a RecursiveArrayIterator within a RecursiveIteratorIterator. You are likely to get baffling results if you do. That is because RecursiveArrayIterator treats all objects as having children, and tries to recurse into them. But if you are interested in having your RecursiveIteratorIterator return the objects in your multi-dimensional array, then you don't want the default setting LEAVES_ONLY, because no object can be a leaf (= has no children).
The solution is to extend the RecursiveArrayIterator class and override the hasChildren method appropriately. Something like the following might be suitable:
<?php
class RecursiveArrayOnlyIterator extends RecursiveArrayIterator {
public function hasChildren() {
return is_array($this->current());
}
}
?>
Of course, this simple example will not recurse into ArrayObjects either!
The RecursiveArrayIterator class
(PHP 5 >= 5.1.0, PHP 7, PHP 8)
Introduction
This iterator allows for unsetting and modifying values and keys while iterating over arrays and objects, in the same way as the ArrayIterator. Additionally, it is possible to iterate over the current iterator entry.
Class synopsis
/* Inherited constants */
/* Constants */
/* Methods */
/* Inherited methods */
}Predefined Constants
RecursiveArrayIterator Flags
RecursiveArrayIterator::CHILD_ARRAYS_ONLY-
Treat only arrays (not objects) as having children for recursive iteration.
Table of Contents
- RecursiveArrayIterator::getChildren — Returns an iterator for the current entry if it is an array or an object
- RecursiveArrayIterator::hasChildren — Returns whether current entry is an array or an object
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User Contributed Notes 4 notes
c dot 1 at smithies dot org ¶
13 years ago
mccarthy dot richard at gmail dot com ¶
13 years ago
Using the RecursiveArrayIterator to traverse an unknown amount of sub arrays within the outer array. Note: This functionality is already provided by using the RecursiveIteratorIterator but is useful in understanding how to use the iterator when using for the first time as all the terminology does get rather confusing at first sight of SPL!
<?php
$myArray = array(
0 => 'a',
1 => array('subA','subB',array(0 => 'subsubA', 1 => 'subsubB', 2 => array(0 => 'deepA', 1 => 'deepB'))),
2 => 'b',
3 => array('subA','subB','subC'),
4 => 'c'
);
$iterator = new RecursiveArrayIterator($myArray);
iterator_apply($iterator, 'traverseStructure', array($iterator));
function traverseStructure($iterator) {
while ( $iterator -> valid() ) {
if ( $iterator -> hasChildren() ) {
traverseStructure($iterator -> getChildren());
}
else {
echo $iterator -> key() . ' : ' . $iterator -> current() .PHP_EOL;
}
$iterator -> next();
}
}
?>
The output from which is:
0 : a
0 : subA
1 : subB
0 : subsubA
1 : subsubB
0 : deepA
1 : deepB
2 : b
0 : subA
1 : subB
2 : subC
4 : c
lemoinem dot remove at me dot mlemoine dot name ¶
10 years ago
The RecursiveArrayOnlyIterator behaviour c dot 1 at smithies dot org presented can also be achieved using the (undocumented) flag RecursiveArrayIterator::CHILD_ARRAYS_ONLY (https://github.com/php/php-src/blob/master/ext/spl/spl_array.c#L1970 and https://github.com/php/php-src/blob/master/ext/spl/spl_array.c#L1620)
Edgar ¶
2 years ago
<?php
$array = [
'A','B',
'C'=>[
'D','E',
'F'=>['G','H']
],
'I','J'
];
$iterator = new RecursiveArrayIterator($array);
foreach($iterator as $key=>$value)
{
echo $key,':', $value,'<br>';
}
/**
Output
0:A
1:B
C:Array
2:I
3:J
*/
//-------------
//Recursive...
$array = [
'A','B',
'C'=>[
'D','E',
'F'=>['G','H']
],
'I','J'
];
$it = new RecursiveArrayIterator($array);
$iterator = new RecursiveIteratorIterator($it);
foreach($iterator as $key=>$value)
{
echo $key,':', $value,'<br>';
}
/**
Output
0:A
1:B
0:D
1:E
0:G
1:H
2:I
3:J
*/
?>
