How to Efficiently Convert Dot Syntax Strings to Multidimensional Arrays in PHP?

Converting Dot Syntax Strings to Multidimensional Arrays in PHP

Question:

How can dot syntax strings, such as "this.that.other", be efficiently converted into multidimensional arrays in PHP?

Answer:

A highly effective solution is to utilize a recursive function like the one below:

function assignArrayByPath(&$arr, $path, $value, $separator='.') {
    $keys = explode($separator, $path);

    foreach ($keys as $key) {
        $arr = &$arr[$key];
    }

    $arr = $value;
}

This function iteratively traverses the array, using the '.' as a separator, creating any missing keys along the way, until it reaches the desired property and sets its value.

For instance, with the following sample string: "s1.t1.column.1 = size:33%", the function would generate an array structure equivalent to:

$source = [];
assignArrayByPath($source, 's1.t1.column.1', 'size:33%');

print_r($source); // Outputs: ['s1' => ['t1' => ['column' => ['1' => 'size:33%']]]]

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