How to insert element into arrays at specific position?

Question

array_slice() can be used to extract parts of the array, and the union array operator (+) can recombine the parts.

$res = array_slice($array, 0, 3, true) +
    array("my_key" => "my_value") +
    array_slice($array, 3, count($array)-3, true);

This example:

$array = array(
  'zero'  => '0',
  'one'   => '1',
  'two'   => '2',
  'three' => '3',
);
$res = array_slice($array, 0, 3, true) +
    array("my_key" => "my_value") +
    array_slice($array, 3, count($array) - 1, true) ;
print_r($res);

gives:

Array
(
    [zero] => 0
    [one] => 1
    [two] => 2
    [my_key] => my_value
    [three] => 3
)

For your first array, use array_splice():

$array_1 = array(
  '0' => 'zero',
  '1' => 'one',
  '2' => 'two',
  '3' => 'three',
);

array_splice($array_1, 3, 0, 'more');
print_r($array_1);

output:

Array(
    [0] => zero
    [1] => one
    [2] => two
    [3] => more
    [4] => three
)

for the second one there is no order so you just have to do :

$array_2['more'] = '2.5';
print_r($array_2);

And sort the keys by whatever you want.

code:

function insertValueAtPosition($arr, $insertedArray, $position) {
    $i = 0;
    $new_array=[];
    foreach ($arr as $key => $value) {
        if ($i == $position) {
            foreach ($insertedArray as $ikey => $ivalue) {
                $new_array[$ikey] = $ivalue;
            }
        }
        $new_array[$key] = $value;
        $i++;
    }
    return $new_array;
}

example:

$array        = ["A"=8, "K"=>3];
$insert_array = ["D"= 9];

insertValueAtPosition($array, $insert_array, $position=2);
// result ====> ["A"=>8,  "D"=>9,  "K"=>3];

May not really look perfect, but it works.

Here's a simple function that you could use. Just plug n play.

This is Insert By Index, Not By Value.

you can choose to pass the array, or use one that you already have declared.

EDIT: Shorter Version:

   function insert($array, $index, $val)
   {
       $size = count($array); //because I am going to use this more than one time
       if (!is_int($index) || $index < 0 || $index > $size)
       {
           return -1;
       }
       else
       {
           $temp   = array_slice($array, 0, $index);
           $temp[] = $val;
           return array_merge($temp, array_slice($array, $index, $size));
       }
   }

---

  function insert($array, $index, $val) { //function decleration
    $temp = array(); // this temp array will hold the value 
    $size = count($array); //because I am going to use this more than one time
    // Validation -- validate if index value is proper (you can omit this part)       
        if (!is_int($index) || $index < 0 || $index > $size) {
            echo "Error: Wrong index at Insert. Index: " . $index . " Current Size: " . $size;
            echo "<br/>";
            return false;
        }    
    //here is the actual insertion code
    //slice part of the array from 0 to insertion index
    $temp = array_slice($array, 0, $index);//e.g index=5, then slice will result elements [0-4]
    //add the value at the end of the temp array// at the insertion index e.g 5
    array_push($temp, $val);
    //reconnect the remaining part of the array to the current temp
    $temp = array_merge($temp, array_slice($array, $index, $size)); 
    $array = $temp;//swap// no need for this if you pass the array cuz you can simply return $temp, but, if u r using a class array for example, this is useful. 

     return $array; // you can return $temp instead if you don't use class array
}

Now you can test the code using

//1
$result = insert(array(1,2,3,4,5),0, 0);
echo "<pre>";
echo "<br/>";
print_r($result);
echo "</pre>";
//2
$result = insert(array(1,2,3,4,5),2, "a");
echo "<pre>";
print_r($result);
echo "</pre>";
//3
$result = insert(array(1,2,3,4,5) ,4, "b");
echo "<pre>";
print_r($result);
echo "</pre>";
//4
$result = insert(array(1,2,3,4,5),5, 6);
echo "<pre>";
echo "<br/>";
print_r($result);
echo "</pre>";

And the result is :

//1
Array
(
    [0] => 0
    [1] => 1
    [2] => 2
    [3] => 3
    [4] => 4
    [5] => 5
)
//2
Array
(
    [0] => 1
    [1] => 2
    [2] => a
    [3] => 3
    [4] => 4
    [5] => 5
)
//3
Array
(
    [0] => 1
    [1] => 2
    [2] => 3
    [3] => 4
    [4] => b
    [5] => 5
)

//4
Array
(
    [0] => 1
    [1] => 2
    [2] => 3
    [3] => 4
    [4] => 5
    [5] => 6
)

$list = array(
'Tunisia' => 'Tunis',
'Germany' => 'Berlin',
'Italy' => 'Rom',
'Egypt' => 'Cairo'
);
$afterIndex = 2;
$newVal= array('Palestine' => 'Jerusalem');

$newList = array_merge(array_slice($list,0,$afterIndex+1), $newVal,array_slice($list,$afterIndex+1));

This function supports:

• both numeric and assoc keys
• insert before or after the founded key
• append to the end of array if key isn't founded

---

function insert_into_array( $array, $search_key, $insert_key, $insert_value, $insert_after_founded_key = true, $append_if_not_found = false ) {

        $new_array = array();

        foreach( $array as $key => $value ){

            // INSERT BEFORE THE CURRENT KEY? 
            // ONLY IF CURRENT KEY IS THE KEY WE ARE SEARCHING FOR, AND WE WANT TO INSERT BEFORE THAT FOUNDED KEY
            if( $key === $search_key && ! $insert_after_founded_key )
                $new_array[ $insert_key ] = $insert_value;

            // COPY THE CURRENT KEY/VALUE FROM OLD ARRAY TO A NEW ARRAY
            $new_array[ $key ] = $value;

            // INSERT AFTER THE CURRENT KEY? 
            // ONLY IF CURRENT KEY IS THE KEY WE ARE SEARCHING FOR, AND WE WANT TO INSERT AFTER THAT FOUNDED KEY
            if( $key === $search_key && $insert_after_founded_key )
                $new_array[ $insert_key ] = $insert_value;

        }

        // APPEND IF KEY ISNT FOUNDED
        if( $append_if_not_found && count( $array ) == count( $new_array ) )
            $new_array[ $insert_key ] = $insert_value;

        return $new_array;

    }

USAGE:

    $array1 = array(
        0 => 'zero',
        1 => 'one',
        2 => 'two',
        3 => 'three',
        4 => 'four'
    );

    $array2 = array(
        'zero'  => '# 0',
        'one'   => '# 1',
        'two'   => '# 2',
        'three' => '# 3',
        'four'  => '# 4'
    );

    $array3 = array(
        0 => 'zero',
        1 => 'one',
       64 => '64',
        3 => 'three',
        4 => 'four'
    );


    // INSERT AFTER WITH NUMERIC KEYS
    print_r( insert_into_array( $array1, 3, 'three+', 'three+ value') );

    // INSERT AFTER WITH ASSOC KEYS
    print_r( insert_into_array( $array2, 'three', 'three+', 'three+ value') );

    // INSERT BEFORE
    print_r( insert_into_array( $array3, 64, 'before-64', 'before-64 value', false) );

    // APPEND IF SEARCH KEY ISNT FOUNDED
    print_r( insert_into_array( $array3, 'undefined assoc key', 'new key', 'new value', true, true) );

RESULTS:

Array
(
    [0] => zero
    [1] => one
    [2] => two
    [3] => three
    [three+] => three+ value
    [4] => four
)
Array
(
    [zero] => # 0
    [one] => # 1
    [two] => # 2
    [three] => # 3
    [three+] => three+ value
    [four] => # 4
)
Array
(
    [0] => zero
    [1] => one
    [before-64] => before-64 value
    [64] => 64
    [3] => three
    [4] => four
)
Array
(
    [0] => zero
    [1] => one
    [64] => 64
    [3] => three
    [4] => four
    [new key] => new value
)

Simplest solution, if you want to insert (an element or array) after a certain key:

function array_splice_after_key($array, $key, $array_to_insert)
{
    $key_pos = array_search($key, array_keys($array));
    if($key_pos !== false){
        $key_pos++;
        $second_array = array_splice($array, $key_pos);
        $array = array_merge($array, $array_to_insert, $second_array);
    }
    return $array;
}

So, if you have:

$array = [
    'one' => 1,
    'three' => 3
];
$array_to_insert = ['two' => 2];

And execute:

$result_array = array_splice_after_key($array, 'one', $array_to_insert);

You'll have:

Array ( 
    ['one'] => 1 
    ['two'] => 2 
    ['three'] => 3 
)