Index_key is safely applicable only in cases when corresponding values of this index are unique through over the array. Otherwise only the latest element of the array with the same index_key value will be picked up.
<?php
$records = array(
array(
'id' => 2135,
'first_name' => 'John',
'last_name' => 'Doe',
'company_id' => 1,
),
array(
'id' => 3245,
'first_name' => 'Sally',
'last_name' => 'Smith',
'company_id' => 1,
),
array(
'id' => 5342,
'first_name' => 'Jane',
'last_name' => 'Jones',
'company_id' => 1,
),
array(
'id' => 5623,
'first_name' => 'Peter',
'last_name' => 'Doe',
'company_id' => 2,
)
);
$first_names = array_column($records, 'first_name', 'company_id');
print_r($first_names);
?>
The above example will output:
<?php
Array
(
[1] => Jane
[2] => Peter
)
?>
To group values by the same `index_key` in arrays one can use simple replacement for the `array_column` like below example function:
<?php
function arrayed_column(array $array, int|string $column_key, int|string $index_key) {
$output = [];
foreach ($array as $item) {
$output[$item['index_key']][] = $item['column_key'];
}
return $output;
}
$first_names = arrayed_column($records, 'first_name', 'company_id');
print_r($first_names);
?>
The output:
<?php
Array
(
[1] => Array
(
[0] => John
[1] => Sally
[2] => Jane
)
[2] => Array
(
[0] =>Peter
)
)
?>
