How Can I Safely Set Values in Nested Arrays Using String Paths in PHP?

Setting Nested Array Data with String Paths

In a scenario where a variable string represents a path within a nested array, we aim to dynamically set the value at the specified path without resorting to potentially unsafe methods like eval.

To start, the string path is parsed into an array of tokens, separating the path into its individual segments. The goal is to use this array of tokens to navigate the array and ultimately set the value at the desired location.

A key concept in this approach is the use of the reference operator "&". This allows us to obtain a reference to the current array level, ensuring that any modifications made to the reference will be reflected in the original array.

The following code demonstrates how we can traverse the array and assign the specified value:

$temp = &$data;
foreach ($exploded_path as $key) {
    $temp = &$temp[$key];
}
$temp = $value;
unset($temp);

In this code, we start by obtaining a reference to the root of the array using $temp = &$data. We then iterate through the elements of $exploded_path, using each key to get a reference to the next level of the array. Finally, we set the value of the referenced array element to the desired value.

After setting the value, the $temp variable is explicitly unset to break the reference chain and prevent unintended modifications to the array. This ensures that the changes are confined to the specified path, maintaining the integrity of the original data.

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