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POPHP: Need an alternative to eval() for dynamically building multidimensional array
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  1. POPHP: Need an alternative to eval() for dynamically building multidimensional array
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    copied!<p>Okay, so I know that using eval() isn't great, but I haven't been able to come up with a better solution to my problem, and until recently, there wasn't a performance reason not to use it. However, I am now passing enough data to the function that it is taking unacceptably long.</p> <p>The function that is being called is:</p> <pre><code>public static function makeAMultiDimensionalArrayWithSumsBasedOnMultipleFields($inArray, $dimensionFieldNames, $sumFieldNameArray, $staticFieldNameArray = array()) { $outArray = array(); // Just in case the array has indices, sort it so array_pop works as expected. ksort($dimensionFieldNames); foreach ($inArray as $row) { // make sure each row in the inArray has all keys specified by $dimensionFieldNames $allFieldsPresent = TRUE; foreach ($dimensionFieldNames as $keyFieldName) { if (!array_key_exists($keyFieldName, $row)) { // Note that alternatively we could set the field to a specified default value. $allFieldsPresent = FALSE; } } if ($allFieldsPresent) { $indexString = ''; $keyFieldNameArrayCopy = $dimensionFieldNames; foreach ($dimensionFieldNames as $keyFieldName) { $indexString .= "['" . $row[$keyFieldName] . "']"; // lets sum values foreach ($sumFieldNameArray as $sumFieldName) { eval ('$outArray' . $indexString . '[' . $sumFieldName . '] += $row[' . $sumFieldName . '];'); } foreach ($staticFieldNameArray as $staticFieldName) { eval ('$outArray' . $indexString . '[' . $staticFieldName . '] = $row[' . $staticFieldName . '];'); } } } } return $outArray; } </code></pre> <p>It is being called like this:</p> <pre><code>makeAMultiDimensionalArrayWithSumsBasedOnMultipleFields($data, $dimensionArray, $sumArray, $staticArray); </code></pre> <p>And the variables being passed to the function are similar to:</p> <pre><code>$dimensionArray = array("firstLevelID", "secondLevelID", "thirdLevelID", "fourthLevelID", "fifthLevelID"); $sumArray = array("revenue", "cost", "profit", "sales", "inquires", "cost", "walkins"); $staticArray = array("date", "storeID", "storeName", "productID", "productName", "managerID", "managerName", "salesperson"); </code></pre> <p>So I want to rewrite the function so that I'm not using eval() any more. I've spent a considerable amount of time on this, and feel that it's time to seek some advice.</p> <p>The goal is to take an array of arrays, and turn it into a multidimensional array based on the dimensions in the $dimensionArray.</p> <p>I don't want to bore you with too many details right now, so please ask if you need more or have any other questions</p>
 

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