PHP: What is the best method to SQL query an array? (if you can)

Question

Consider this:

One mySQL database that has tables and rows and data within it.

One array that has the same data.

Now normally, I would have a query like this for mySQL SELECT * FROM 'table' WHERE name LIKE '%abc%'

But I want to perform that same query on the array, without having to insert it yet. The only method that comes to mind is using array_search, but the syntax is different and the method is convoluted.

Is there a shortcut here?

Answer 1

You can't use SQL with arrays, but one way you could do your example is using array_filter():

function like_abc($v) {
    return strstr($v['name'], 'abc') !== false;
}

$filtered = array_filter($yourArray, 'like_abc');

or if you are using PHP >= 5.3.0

$filtered = array_filter($yourArray, 
    function($v) { return strstr($v['name'], 'abc') !== false;});

See it in action on ideone

---

EDIT:

You can also try PHPLinq:

// UNTESTED CODE!
$yourArray = array (
    array('name' => 'abcd', 'age' => 20),
    array('name' => 'dacb', 'age' => 45),
    array('name' => 'aadd', 'age' => 32),
    array('name' => 'babc', 'age' => 11),
    array('name' => 'afgb', 'age' => 17),
);

$result = from('$people')->in($yourArray)
            ->where('$people["name"] => strstr($people["name"], "abc") !== false')
            ->select('$people'); 

Answer 2

CakePHP has a Set::extract method that uses XPath query strings to find information. It's quite good and I think it shouldn't be too hard to use it without the rest of the CakePHP project.