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16 years ago
Converting a linear array (like a mysql record set) into a tree, or multi-dimensional array can be a real bugbear. Capitalizing on references in PHP, we can 'stack' an array in one pass, using one loop, like this:

<?php
# array_stack()
# Original idea from:
# http://www.ideashower.com/our_solutions/
#   create-a-parent-child-array-structure-in-one-pass/
function array_stack (&$a, $p = '@parent', $c = '@children')
{
  $l = $t = array();
  foreach ($a AS $key => $val):
    if (!$val[$p]) $t[$key] =& $l[$key];
    else $l[$val[$p]][$c][$key] =& $l[$key];
    $l[$key] = (array)$l[$key] + $val;
  endforeach;
  return $a = array('tree' => $t, 'leaf' => $l);
}

# Example:
$node = array();
$node[1] = array('@parent' => 0, 'title' => 'I am node 1.');
#     ^-----------------------v Link @parent value to key.
$node[2] = array('@parent' => 1, 'title' => 'I am node 2.');
$node[3] = array('@parent' => 2, 'title' => 'I am node 3.');
$node[4] = array('@parent' => 1, 'title' => 'I am node 4.');
$node[5] = array('@parent' => 4, 'title' => 'I am node 5.');

array_stack($node);

$node['leaf'][1]['title'] = 'I am node one.';
$node['leaf'][2]['title'] = 'I am node two.';
$node['leaf'][3]['title'] = 'I am node three.';
$node['leaf'][4]['title'] = 'I am node four.';
$node['leaf'][5]['title'] = 'I am node five.';

echo '<pre>',print_r($node['tree'],TRUE),'</pre>';
?>

Note that there's no parameter checking on the array value, but this is only to keep the function size small. One could easily a quick check in there to make sure the $a parameter was in fact an array.

Hope you find it useful. Huge thanks to Nate Weiner of IdeaShower.com for providing the original function I built on.
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