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PHP PHP Arrays and Control Structures PHP Arrays Multidimensional Arrays

Posted by Chris Gauthier
Chris Gauthier
Courses Plus Student 6,434 Points

Better syntax for creating a multi-dimensional associative array.

Im taking the course on php arrays and control structures. In this course, It gives us this way to create multiple elements in an associative multi-dimensional array.

$list[] = [ 'title' => 'laundry', 'priority' => 2, 'due' => '', 'complete' => true ];

$list[] = [ 
        'title' => 'cleaning',
        'priority' => 3,
        'due' => '',
        'complete' => false

];

$list[] = [
    'title' => 'taking out the trash',
    'priority' => 4,
    'due' => '',
    'complete' => true
];

Is there a way to add additional elements without having to create a new definition for every additional elements?

index.php 
<?php
//edit this array
$contacts[] array('Alena Holligan', 'Dave McFarland', 'Treasure Porth', 'Andrew Chalkley');

echo "<ul>\n";
//$contacts[0] will return 'Alena Holligan' in our simple array of names.
echo "<li>Alena Holligan : alena.holligan@teamtreehouse.com</li>\n";
echo "<li>Dave McFarland : dave.mcfarland@teamtreehouse.com</li>\n";
echo "<li>Treasure Porth : treasure.porth@teamtreehouse.com</li>\n";
echo "<li>Andrew Chalkley : andrew.chalkley@teamtreehouse.com</li>\n";
echo "</ul>\n";

1 Answer

Corey Cramer
Corey Cramer
9,453 Points

The way they are showing you allows you to easily push additional items onto an existing array. In the example contacts array it's easier to just define it once

<?php
$contact = array(
    ['name' => 'Alena Holligan', 'email' => 'alena.holligan@teamtreehouse.com'],
    ['name' => 'Dave McFarland', 'email' => 'dave.mcfarland@teamtreehouse.com'],
    ['name' => 'Treasure Porth', 'email' => 'treasure.porth@teamtreehouse.com'],
    ['name' => 'Andrew Chalkley', 'email' => 'andrew.chalkley@teamtreehouse.com']
);

But you could also do something like this:

<?php
$contacts = [];
array_push($contacts, ['name' => 'Alena Holligan', 'email' => 'alena.holligan@teamtreehouse.com']);
array_push($contacts, ['name' => 'Dave McFarland', 'email' => 'dave.mcfarland@teamtreehouse.com']);
array_push($contacts, ['name' => 'Treasure Porth', 'email' => 'treasure.porth@teamtreehouse.com']);
array_push($contacts, ['name' => 'Andrew Chalkley', 'email' => 'andrew.chalkley@teamtreehouse.com']);