How to check if a Single Array is part of a Multidimensional Array?

[jgendr2]

So here is my problem

I do not know if there is another way to solve this without using arrays....but I am assuming that I DO need to use arrays....Anyways


FIRST ARRAY (SINGLE):

$results = array($question1,$question2,$question3);

SECOND ARRAY (MULTI-DIMENSIONAL)

$baseball = array( array("male","female"), array("right","middle"), array("long","medium","short"));

What I want to do is see if the values of the Results array fall within the Baseball array.

For example if $results = ("male","right","long") then we would have a match!

BUT, if $results = ("male","LEFT","long") we would NOT have a match....


So how do I check this? Any help would be greatly appreciated....


I have tried this method...

   if (in_array($results, $baseball)) {
      print "WE HAVE A MATCH";
   } else {
      print "NO MATCH";
   }

But have had no luck :(

[Dormilich]

current idea: check each $baseball array against $result using count() & array_diff().

[jgendr2]

Dormilich,

Thanks for the reply....I am very new to programming so can you elaborate on how to use the count() and array_diff() here?

Thank you!

[Dormilich]

ok.
check #1 if the arrays differ in length, they can not match.

if (3 < count($result)) // fail
if (2 > count($result)) // fail

check #2 if the arrays correspond in length, the difference is empty for equal arrays (∀ B = A : A \ B = ∅)

// do for each relevant array
if (array_diff($baseball[0], $result)) // fail

[dlite922]

I'm not sure Dormi understood the question. Here's how I understood it.

Code and comments are better than words:

Note: I do not provide free code, but since you had the values, I just wrote the condition. I decided to give you the code and write the description in the comments. Don't expect this all the time :)

## get the answers from the user
$question1 = 'male'; 
$question2 = 'middle';
$question3 = 'short';
$results = array($question1,$question2,$question3);
 
## source values
$baseball = array( array("male","female"), array("right","middle"), array("long","medium","short"));
 
// First make sure you have minimum values
// Here I assume all three questions are required (ie we must have a value for each inner array)
$resultSize = count($results); 
$sourceSize = count($baseball); 
$validation = '';  // the initial value for validation. You can set it default to pass and get rid of the line below that sets it to pass
 
// if number of answers match
if($resultSize == $sourceSize) {
 
    // traverse the array (this is why I needed the question and answeres to be the same value, if they weren't you have to compare by hand)
    for($i = 0;$i < $resultSize; $i++) 
    {
        if(!in_array($results[$i],$baseball[$i])) // if answer not in the array, fail it! 
        { 
            $validation = 'fail';     
            // optional:
            break; // you can leave once one validation fails, no reason to check the rest. 
        }
    }
 
    // optional: 
    if($validation != 'fail')
    {
        $validation = 'pass'; 
    }
 
} else // answers do not match, exit or try to compare the values to each baseball field if you know what index the inner arrays fall on. 
{
    die("Error: One or more questions were not answered or more answer values then there are questions.");
}
 
echo $validation; 
 

This should now behave with your test cases in the OP. Change middle to LEFT and you'll get a fail message.

Cheers,



Dan