How to retrieve highest 4 values from an associative array in PHP?

hey adam, there was a code chellenge with a function that returned the results with the most likes. I guess that will work absolutely fine for you as well when you change the "likes" into "views".

here's the code from the challenge - hope that helps ;)

function get_all_flavors() {

$flavors = array(
    array("name" => "Vanilla", "likes" => 312),
    array("name" => "Cookie Dough", "likes" => 976),
    array("name" => "Peppermint", "likes" => 12),        
    array("name" => "Cake Batter", "likes" => 598),
    array("name" => "Avocado Chocolate", "likes" => 6),        
    array("name" => "Jalapeno So Spicy", "likes" => 3),        
);

return $flavors;

}



function get_flavors_by_likes($number) {

$all = get_all_flavors();

$total_flavors = count($all);
$position = 0;

$popular = $all;
usort($popular, function($a, $b) {
    return $b['likes'] - $a['likes'];
});

return array_slice($popular, 0, $number);

}

have you tried sorting the array?

oh never mind that response

Maybe it's not the best way but it will work.

<?php

$cars = array(
    1 => array(
    "Model" => "Nissan RX",
    "Views" => 200),
    2 => array(
    "Model" => "Mazda Z",
    "Views" => 300),
    3 => array(
    "Model" => "Mercedes G",
    "Views" => 400),
    4 => array(
    "Model" => "Subaru",
    "Views" => 100),
    5 => array(
    "Model" => "Cadillac",
    "Views" => 500),
    6 => array(
    "Model" => "Renault",
    "Views" => 50),
    7 => array(
    "Model" => "Renault",
    "Views" => 550)
);

function highestViews() {

    $cars = $GLOBALS["cars"];

    $return_highest = array();

    $views = array();

    /*Pushing into the $views array only
     *the views numbers
     */
    foreach($cars as $car) {

        array_push($views, $car['Views']);
    }

    $total = count($views);
    $counter = 1;
    $for_show = 4;

    /* Setting up a while loop.
     * $total - $for_show gives us
     * the number of cars to be removed.
     * That way in the array are staying
     * only the wanted cars.
     */
    while ($counter <= $total - $for_show) {

        $counter++;

        /*search for the min value of views
        and removing it.*/
        $key = array_search(min($views), $views);

        unset($views[$key]);
    }

    /*Comparing each value in the $views array
     * with each "Views" in the $cars array.
     * If equal, pushes that car into a new array
     */

    foreach ($cars as $car) {
        foreach($views as $key => $value) {
            if ($car["Views"] == $value) {
                array_push($return_highest, $car);
            }
        }
    }

    return $return_highest;
}

/* you can check if it works with:
 * echo "<pre>";
 * var_dump(highestViews());
 */

 ?>

Hey tihomervelev,

Output is this...

array(4) { [0]=> array(9) { ["ID"]=> string(1) "3" ["Model"]=> string(2) "A1" ["Make"]=> string(4) "Audi" ["Image"]=> string(14) "img/AudiA1.jpg" ["MPG"]=> string(5) "60mpg" ["Price"]=> string(6) "£2000" ["Year"]=> string(4) "2007" ["Mileage"]=> string(6) "55,829" ["Views"]=> int(2384) } [1]=> array(9) { ["ID"]=> string(1) "4" ["Model"]=> string(3) "107" ["Make"]=> string(6) "Peugot" ["Image"]=> string(17) "img/Peugot107.jpg" ["MPG"]=> string(5) "60mpg" ["Price"]=> string(6) "£2000" ["Year"]=> string(4) "2007" ["Mileage"]=> string(6) "55,829" ["Views"]=> int(298) } [2]=> array(9) { ["ID"]=> string(1) "5" ["Model"]=> string(5) "Civic" ["Make"]=> string(5) "Honda" ["Image"]=> string(18) "img/HondaCivic.jpg" ["MPG"]=> string(5) "60mpg" ["Price"]=> string(6) "£2000" ["Year"]=> string(4) "2007" ["Mileage"]=> string(6) "55,829" ["Views"]=> int(2293) } [3]=> array(9) { ["ID"]=> string(1) "7" ["Model"]=> string(3) "Rx8" ["Make"]=> string(5) "Mazda" ["Image"]=> string(16) "img/MazdaRx8.jpg" ["MPG"]=> string(5) "60mpg" ["Price"]=> string(6) "£2000" ["Year"]=> string(4) "2007" ["Mileage"]=> string(6) "55,829" ["Views"]=> int(300) } }

Can't quite understand why, Thanks for trying though!

You are getting exactly what you have to - an associative array with four nested arrays, each one representing one of the four cars with highest views.

Now you have to loop through this array. You will call the needed elements through their keys and values and display the data where you want on your page.

It's actually a very long story to do it here and it cannot happen. I recommend you to take the Randy's course Enhancing a Simple PHP Application (if you have not done so far): http://teamtreehouse.com/library/enhancing-a-simple-php-application-2

Good luck!