从数组中随机选择键以返回映射到该数组键的数据

Question

Newbie here attempting to make a simple function, I think I'm close to a solution, but I'm stuck currently with an illegal offset type.

The function will, based on the number of keys, select one of the keys randomly and then propagate my echo statement so that the desired data will then propagate the function echo statements. i.e. if key '3' is selected, the Username, first name, and last name will be populated with the data associated with the third key '[3]' of the array '$aaUser'.

I have tried searching stack overflow, php.net and googled to try to find a solution to attempt to resolve this function but as yet I have not found an answer which I can understand at this time.

my example array:

$aaUser = [ //Make multidimensional
    // 0 => nameUser
    // 1 => namefirst
    // 2 => namelast
    0 => ["monkeework", "my", "name"],          
    1 => ["mentor", "Portia", "Plante"],                
    2 => ["teacher", "Bill", "Newman"],             
    3 => ["friend", "Sage", "Gerky"],                   
    4 => [ "pet", "pedro",  "" //last postion left empty - if empty we skip]            
    ];

my function:

function getRandomUser($arr){
    $myKey = array_rand($arr);
    $myValue = $arr[$myKey];

    echo 'Username: ' . $arr[$myValue][0] . '<br />'; 

    echo 'Name: ' . $arr[$myValue][1] . ' ' . $arr[$myValue][2] . '<br /><br />'; 

How I call the function:

    getRandomUser($aaUser);//select array, get array data back as echo statements

Answer 1

You already set $myValue = $arr[$myKey]; so below where you echo the values you just need to reference $myValue[1] and not $arr[$myValue][1].

function getRandomUser($arr){
    $myKey = array_rand($arr);
    $myValue = $arr[$myKey];

    echo 'Username: ' . $myValue[0] . '<br />'; 

    echo 'Name: ' . $myValue[1] . ' ' . $myValue[2] . '<br /><br />'; 

$aaUser is passed into the function, and is now set as $arr inside the function. The first line returns a random key from $arr. The next line sets $myValue equal to the value of $arr[$myKey]. So for example.

$myKey = 3; // randomly selected key
$myValue = $arr[3] = $aaUser[3] = array("friend", "Sage", "Gerky");
$myValue = array("friend", "Sage", "Gerky"); // what $myValue holds now

$arr and $aaUser are the same. So whatever is held in $arr[3] will be set to $myValue. To access the array we just call $myValue[1].

If you try to call $arr[$myValue][1] that's like saying $arr[array("friend", "Sage", "Gerky")][1].