Explode array comma but not inside square brackets

Question

I have a string:

$var = "[Item 1],[Item 2],[Item, 3]";

When I use explode:

$var = explode(",", $var);

This also explodes out the comma inside the square brackets.

I would like to return:

[Item 1]
[Item 2]
[Item, 3]

Running through a foreach () {} statement which I am using. Any ideas?

Answer 1

$var = "[Item 1],[Item 2],[Item, 3]";

$var = explode("],[", $var);

print_r($var);

--doh forgot that the delimiter is lost so um a crude option to put those [] back in:

<?php
$var = "[Item 1],[Item 2],[Item, 3]";

$var = explode("],[", $var);

foreach ($var as $v){

  if(substr($v,0,1)!='['){
   $v='['.$v; 
  }

    if(substr($v,-1)!=']'){
$v=$v.']'; 
  }

    $out[]=$v; 



}
echo '<pre>';
print_r($out);

may be better to switch to a regular expression split, i'll write that in a sec

FINIAL sexy answer:

<?php
$var = "[Item 1],[Item 2],[Item, 3]";


$var = preg_split('/(\B,\B)/', $var);


echo '<pre>';
print_r($var);

demo: http://codepad.viper-7.com/6qgSzB