Cannot use object of type stdClass as array?

 

563

I get a strange error using json_decode(). It decode correctly the data (I saw it using print_r), but when I try to access to info inside the array I get:

Fatal error: Cannot use object of type stdClass as array in
C:\Users\Dail\software\abs.php on line 108

I only tried to do: $result['context'] where $result has the data returned by json_decode()

How can I read values inside this array?

 

Answer> 

15 Answers

819

Use the second parameter of json_decode to make it return an array:

$result = json_decode($data, true);

 

 

Use the second parameter of json_decode to make it return an array:

$result = json_decode($data, true);

The function json_decode() returns an object by default.

You can access the data like this:

var_dump($result->context);

If you have identifiers like from-date (the hyphen would cause a PHP error when using the above method) you have to write:

var_dump($result->{'from-date'});

If you want an array you can do something like this:

$result = json_decode($json, true);

Or cast the object to an array:

$result = (array) json_decode($json);

You must access it using -> since its an object.

Change your code from:

$result['context'];

To:

$result->context;

 The problem I have is trying to use the property in a conditional if ($result->context = $var)  This causes the property to be set to the var and returns true, no matter. 

92

Have same problem today, solved like this:

If you call json_decode($somestring) you will get an Object and you need to access like $object->key , but if u call json_decode($somestring, true) you will get an dictionary and can access like $array['key']

90

Use true as the second parameter to json_decode. This will decode the json into an associative array instead of stdObject instances:

$my_array = json_decode($my_json, true);

See the documentation for more details.

 

64

It's not an array, it's an object of type stdClass.

You can access it like this:

echo $oResult->context;

More info here: What is stdClass in PHP?

 

20

To get an array as result from a json string you should set second param as boolean true.

$result = json_decode($json_string, true);
$context = $result['context'];

Otherwise $result will be an std object. but you can access values as object.

  $result = json_decode($json_string);
 $context = $result->context;

 

Cannot use object of type stdClass as array?

 

563

I get a strange error using json_decode(). It decode correctly the data (I saw it using print_r), but when I try to access to info inside the array I get:

Fatal error: Cannot use object of type stdClass as array in
C:\Users\Dail\software\abs.php on line 108

I only tried to do: $result['context'] where $result has the data returned by json_decode()

How can I read values inside this array?

 

Answer> 

15 Answers

819

Use the second parameter of json_decode to make it return an array:

$result = json_decode($data, true);

 

 

Use the second parameter of json_decode to make it return an array:

$result = json_decode($data, true);

The function json_decode() returns an object by default.

You can access the data like this:

var_dump($result->context);

If you have identifiers like from-date (the hyphen would cause a PHP error when using the above method) you have to write:

var_dump($result->{'from-date'});

If you want an array you can do something like this:

$result = json_decode($json, true);

Or cast the object to an array:

$result = (array) json_decode($json);

You must access it using -> since its an object.

Change your code from:

$result['context'];

To:

$result->context;

 The problem I have is trying to use the property in a conditional if ($result->context = $var)  This causes the property to be set to the var and returns true, no matter. 

92

Have same problem today, solved like this:

If you call json_decode($somestring) you will get an Object and you need to access like $object->key , but if u call json_decode($somestring, true) you will get an dictionary and can access like $array['key']

90

Use true as the second parameter to json_decode. This will decode the json into an associative array instead of stdObject instances:

$my_array = json_decode($my_json, true);

See the documentation for more details.

 

64

It's not an array, it's an object of type stdClass.

You can access it like this:

echo $oResult->context;

More info here: What is stdClass in PHP?

 

20

To get an array as result from a json string you should set second param as boolean true.

$result = json_decode($json_string, true);
$context = $result['context'];

Otherwise $result will be an std object. but you can access values as object.

  $result = json_decode($json_string);
 $context = $result->context;

How to Sort Multi-dimensional Array by Value?

Active 1 month ago

Viewed 860k times

1184

350

 

350

How can I sort this array by the value of the "order" key? Even though the values are currently sequential, they will not always be.

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => a7e87329b5eab8578f4f1098a152d6f4
            [title] => Flower
            [order] => 3
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => b24ce0cd392a5b0b8dedc66c25213594
            [title] => Free
            [order] => 2
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => e7d31fc0602fb2ede144d18cdffd816b
            [title] => Ready
            [order] => 1
        )
)

Answer

11 Answers

1814

Try a usort, If you are still on PHP 5.2 or earlier, you'll have to define a sorting function first:

function sortByOrder($a, $b) {
    return $a['order'] - $b['order'];
}

usort($myArray, 'sortByOrder');

Starting in PHP 5.3, you can use an anonymous function:

usort($myArray, function($a, $b) {
    return $a['order'] - $b['order'];
});

And finally with PHP 7 you can use the spaceship operator:

usort($myArray, function($a, $b) {
    return $a['order'] <=> $b['order'];
});

To extend this to multi-dimensional sorting, reference the second/third sorting elements if the first is zero - best explained below. You can also use this for sorting on sub-elements.

usort($myArray, function($a, $b) {
    $retval = $a['order'] <=> $b['order'];
    if ($retval == 0) {
        $retval = $a['suborder'] <=> $b['suborder'];
        if ($retval == 0) {
            $retval = $a['details']['subsuborder'] <=> $b['details']['subsuborder'];
        }
    }
    return $retval;
});

If you need to retain key associations, use uasort() - see comparison of array sorting functions in the manual

How to Sort Multi-dimensional Array by Value?

Active 1 month ago

Viewed 860k times

1184

350

 

350

How can I sort this array by the value of the "order" key? Even though the values are currently sequential, they will not always be.

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => a7e87329b5eab8578f4f1098a152d6f4
            [title] => Flower
            [order] => 3
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => b24ce0cd392a5b0b8dedc66c25213594
            [title] => Free
            [order] => 2
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => e7d31fc0602fb2ede144d18cdffd816b
            [title] => Ready
            [order] => 1
        )
)

Answer

11 Answers

1814

Try a usort, If you are still on PHP 5.2 or earlier, you'll have to define a sorting function first:

function sortByOrder($a, $b) {
    return $a['order'] - $b['order'];
}

usort($myArray, 'sortByOrder');

Starting in PHP 5.3, you can use an anonymous function:

usort($myArray, function($a, $b) {
    return $a['order'] - $b['order'];
});

And finally with PHP 7 you can use the spaceship operator:

usort($myArray, function($a, $b) {
    return $a['order'] <=> $b['order'];
});

To extend this to multi-dimensional sorting, reference the second/third sorting elements if the first is zero - best explained below. You can also use this for sorting on sub-elements.

usort($myArray, function($a, $b) {
    $retval = $a['order'] <=> $b['order'];
    if ($retval == 0) {
        $retval = $a['suborder'] <=> $b['suborder'];
        if ($retval == 0) {
            $retval = $a['details']['subsuborder'] <=> $b['details']['subsuborder'];
        }
    }
    return $retval;
});

If you need to retain key associations, use uasort() - see comparison of array sorting functions in the manual

 

How to sort an array of associative arrays by value of a given key in PHP?

 

11 years ago

Active 2 months ago

Viewed 484k times

470

Given this array:

$inventory = array(

   array("type"=>"fruit", "price"=>3.50),
   array("type"=>"milk", "price"=>2.90),
   array("type"=>"pork", "price"=>5.43),

);

I would like to sort $inventory's elements by price to get:

$inventory = array(

   array("type"=>"pork", "price"=>5.43),
   array("type"=>"fruit", "price"=>3.50),
   array("type"=>"milk", "price"=>2.90),

);

How can I do this?

 

19 Answers

638

You are right, the function you're looking for is array_multisort().

Here's an example taken straight from the manual and adapted to your case:

$price = array();
foreach ($inventory as $key => $row)
{
    $price[$key] = $row['price'];
}
array_multisort($price, SORT_DESC, $inventory);

As of PHP 5.5.0 you can use array_column() instead of that foreach:

$price = array_column($inventory, 'price');

array_multisort($price, SORT_DESC, $inventory);

 

 Answer

42

Since your array elements are arrays themselves with string keys, your best bet is to define a custom comparison function. It's pretty quick and easy to do. Try this:

function invenDescSort($item1,$item2)
{
    if ($item1['price'] == $item2['price']) return 0;
    return ($item1['price'] < $item2['price']) ? 1 : -1;
}
usort($inventory,'invenDescSort');
print_r($inventory);

Produces the following:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [type] => pork
            [price] => 5.43
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [type] => fruit
            [price] => 3.5
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [type] => milk
            [price] => 2.9
        )

)

 

Combining with some of the other comments here (uasort and inline anonymous functions), you get this one-liner: uasort( $inventory, function ($a, $b) { if ( $a==$b ) return 0; else return ($a > $b) ? -1 : 1; });

 

25

I ended on this:

function sort_array_of_array(&$array, $subfield)
{
    $sortarray = array();
    foreach ($array as $key => $row)
    {
        $sortarray[$key] = $row[$subfield];
    }

    array_multisort($sortarray, SORT_ASC, $array);
}

Just call the function, passing the array and the name of the field of the second level array. Like:

sort_array_of_array($inventory, 'price');

19

You can use usort with anonymous function, e.g.

usort($inventory, function ($a, $b) { return strnatcmp($a['price'], $b['price']); });

5

I use uasort like this

<?php
$users = [
    [
        'username' => 'joe',
        'age' => 11
    ],
    [
        'username' => 'rakoto',
        'age' => 21
    ],
    [
        'username' => 'rabe',
        'age' => 17
    ],
    [
        'username' => 'fy',
        'age' => 19
    ],    
];


uasort($users, function ($item, $compare) {
    return $item['username'] >= $compare['username']; 
});

var_dump($users);

3

This function is re-usable:

function usortarr(&$array, $key, $callback = 'strnatcasecmp') { uasort($array, function($a, $b) use($key, $callback) { return call_user_func($callback, $a[$key], $b[$key]); }); }  

 

For PHP 7 and later versions.

/**
 * A method for sorting associative arrays by a key and a direction.
 * Direction can be ASC or DESC.
 *
 * @param $array
 * @param $key
 * @param $direction
 * @return mixed $array
 */
function sortAssociativeArrayByKey($array, $key, $direction){

    switch ($direction){
        case "ASC":
            usort($array, function ($first, $second) use ($key) {
                return $first[$key] <=> $second[$key];
            });
            break;
        case "DESC":
            usort($array, function ($first, $second) use ($key) {
                return $second[$key] <=> $first[$key];
            });
            break;
        default:
            break;
    }

    return $array;
}

Usage:

$inventory = sortAssociativeArrayByKey($inventory, "price", "ASC");

 

 

How to sort an array of associative arrays by value of a given key in PHP?

 

11 years ago

Active 2 months ago

Viewed 484k times

470

Given this array:

$inventory = array(

   array("type"=>"fruit", "price"=>3.50),
   array("type"=>"milk", "price"=>2.90),
   array("type"=>"pork", "price"=>5.43),

);

I would like to sort $inventory's elements by price to get:

$inventory = array(

   array("type"=>"pork", "price"=>5.43),
   array("type"=>"fruit", "price"=>3.50),
   array("type"=>"milk", "price"=>2.90),

);

How can I do this?

 

19 Answers

638

You are right, the function you're looking for is array_multisort().

Here's an example taken straight from the manual and adapted to your case:

$price = array();
foreach ($inventory as $key => $row)
{
    $price[$key] = $row['price'];
}
array_multisort($price, SORT_DESC, $inventory);

As of PHP 5.5.0 you can use array_column() instead of that foreach:

$price = array_column($inventory, 'price');

array_multisort($price, SORT_DESC, $inventory);

 

 Answer

42

Since your array elements are arrays themselves with string keys, your best bet is to define a custom comparison function. It's pretty quick and easy to do. Try this:

function invenDescSort($item1,$item2)
{
    if ($item1['price'] == $item2['price']) return 0;
    return ($item1['price'] < $item2['price']) ? 1 : -1;
}
usort($inventory,'invenDescSort');
print_r($inventory);

Produces the following:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [type] => pork
            [price] => 5.43
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [type] => fruit
            [price] => 3.5
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [type] => milk
            [price] => 2.9
        )

)

 

Combining with some of the other comments here (uasort and inline anonymous functions), you get this one-liner: uasort( $inventory, function ($a, $b) { if ( $a==$b ) return 0; else return ($a > $b) ? -1 : 1; });

 

25

I ended on this:

function sort_array_of_array(&$array, $subfield)
{
    $sortarray = array();
    foreach ($array as $key => $row)
    {
        $sortarray[$key] = $row[$subfield];
    }

    array_multisort($sortarray, SORT_ASC, $array);
}

Just call the function, passing the array and the name of the field of the second level array. Like:

sort_array_of_array($inventory, 'price');

19

You can use usort with anonymous function, e.g.

usort($inventory, function ($a, $b) { return strnatcmp($a['price'], $b['price']); });

5

I use uasort like this

<?php
$users = [
    [
        'username' => 'joe',
        'age' => 11
    ],
    [
        'username' => 'rakoto',
        'age' => 21
    ],
    [
        'username' => 'rabe',
        'age' => 17
    ],
    [
        'username' => 'fy',
        'age' => 19
    ],    
];


uasort($users, function ($item, $compare) {
    return $item['username'] >= $compare['username']; 
});

var_dump($users);

3

This function is re-usable:

function usortarr(&$array, $key, $callback = 'strnatcasecmp') { uasort($array, function($a, $b) use($key, $callback) { return call_user_func($callback, $a[$key], $b[$key]); }); }  

 

For PHP 7 and later versions.

/**
 * A method for sorting associative arrays by a key and a direction.
 * Direction can be ASC or DESC.
 *
 * @param $array
 * @param $key
 * @param $direction
 * @return mixed $array
 */
function sortAssociativeArrayByKey($array, $key, $direction){

    switch ($direction){
        case "ASC":
            usort($array, function ($first, $second) use ($key) {
                return $first[$key] <=> $second[$key];
            });
            break;
        case "DESC":
            usort($array, function ($first, $second) use ($key) {
                return $second[$key] <=> $first[$key];
            });
            break;
        default:
            break;
    }

    return $array;
}

Usage:

$inventory = sortAssociativeArrayByKey($inventory, "price", "ASC");