How to Insert into Associative Arrays with array_splice()?

Inserting into Associative Arrays with array_splice()

In PHP, working with associative arrays can be tricky when it comes to inserting new elements while preserving existing key order. While array_splice() is a powerful function for manipulating numeric arrays, it falls short when dealing with associative ones.

Problem:

Suppose we have an associative array representing attributes of a fruit:

<code class="php">$fruit = [
    'color' => 'red',
    'taste' => 'sweet',
    'season' => 'summer'
];</code>

We want to insert a new attribute, 'texture', with a value of 'bumpy', behind the 'taste' key. Our intended output is:

<code class="php">$fruit = [
    'color' => 'red',
    'taste' => 'sweet',
    'texture' => 'bumpy',
    'season' => 'summer'
];</code>

Solution:

array_splice() cannot be directly used for this task. Instead, a manual approach is necessary:

<code class="php">$offset = 2; // Insert at offset 2 (behind 'taste')
$newFruit = array_slice($fruit, 0, $offset, true) +
            ['texture' => 'bumpy'] +
            array_slice($fruit, $offset, NULL, true);

print_r($newFruit);</code>

This process:

1. Uses array_slice() to create a new array containing the first two elements of $fruit: ['color' => 'red', 'taste' => 'sweet'].
2. Adds the new attribute: ['texture' => 'bumpy'].
3. Concatenates the remaining elements of $fruit using array_slice().

This approach maintains the existing key order while introducing the new attribute in the desired position.

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