Getting the previous and next array key?

[denasio]

Hello,

I have an array like this:

('car' => 'Ford',
'computer' => 'Dell',
'deodorant' => 'Rexona',
'television' => 'Sony',
......
)

Assuming that I'm given the key $key='deodorant', what is the easiest way to get the previous key ('computer') and the next key ('television') of the array?

I know I can do it the hard way, but there must be an easy way to do it, maybe in 1 or 2 lines of coding?

[96turnerri]

next() & prev()

[denasio]

Originally posted by 96turnerri
next() & prev()

I don't think that this will work. next() and prev() works with current(), but how do I make the key that I have the "current" key?

[96turnerri]

take the example on php.net

<?php
$transport = array('foot', 'bike', 'car', 'plane');
$mode = current($transport); // $mode = 'foot';
$mode = next($transport); // $mode = 'bike';
$mode = next($transport); // $mode = 'car';
$mode = prev($transport); // $mode = 'bike';
$mode = end($transport); // $mode = 'plane';
?>

now take your array
$thing = array('car' => 'Ford', 'computer' => 'Dell', 'deodorant' => 'Rexona', 'television' => 'Sony');
$item = current($thing); // $item = 'car';
$item = next($thing); // $item = 'computer';
$item = next($thing); // $item = 'deodarant';
//it now knows $item is deodarant
$item = prev($thing); // $item = 'computer';
echo "Previous: ".$item."<br>";
$item = next($thing); // $item = 'deodarant';
echo "Current: ".$item."<br>";
$item = next($thing); // $item = 'television';
echo "Next: ".$item;
//Will Produce
//Previous: Computer
//Current: Deodarant
//Next: Television

[denasio]

Originally posted by 96turnerri
take the example on php.net

<?php
$transport = array('foot', 'bike', 'car', 'plane');
$mode = current($transport); // $mode = 'foot';
$mode = next($transport); // $mode = 'bike';
$mode = next($transport); // $mode = 'car';
$mode = prev($transport); // $mode = 'bike';
$mode = end($transport); // $mode = 'plane';
?>

now take your array
$thing = array('car' => 'Ford', 'computer' => 'Dell', 'deodorant' => 'Rexona', 'television' => 'Sony');
$item = current($thing); // $item = 'car';
$item = next($thing); // $item = 'computer';
$item = next($thing); // $item = 'deodarant';
//it now knows $item is deodarant
$item = prev($thing); // $item = 'computer';
echo "Previous: ".$item."<br>";
$item = next($thing); // $item = 'deodarant';
echo "Current: ".$item."<br>";
$item = next($thing); // $item = 'television';
echo "Next: ".$item;
//Will Produce
//Previous: Computer
//Current: Deodarant
//Next: Television

I still think that this isn't an easy way.

Suppose that the key is parsed, then you only have the variable $key. You will have to cycle through the array to know where it's position is in the array. Isn't there an easy way?

[96turnerri]

you could use a combination of next, prev and array_search that would do it, please explain in more detail what you are trying to do as im not sure we are talking about the same thing

Rich