array choose confussion

$group =
Array 
( 
[1] => Array ( [0] => john [1] => 4 [2] => 5 [3] => 6 ) 
[2] => Array ( [0] => pat [1] => 5 [2] => 2 [3] => 7 ) 
[3] => Array ( [0] => mat [1] => 4 [2] => 5 [3] => 4 ) 
[4] => Array ( [0] => pink [1] => 2 [2] => 2 [3] => 3 ) 
) ;

as you see in the code there 's a group array. which contain users.  each user has 3 values.

the first 2 value of a user  (e.g $group[1][1] and $group[1][2])  is about his activity rank . 1 more important than 2 .

the third value is his warnings for breaking site rules. 

i want to choose 2 users from the list which has the most activity and less warnings.  but the most things matters is the activty , if the value in 1 was equal then i should check the value in 2 . if the value in 2 were equal too  , then check for less warnings ( in 3 ) .

i'm getting confused at this, any idea ?

(the answer for the above array would be 1st pat , and 2nd mat .  1st for 5 in the 1 section,  mat and john are equal in 1 and 2 . but mat has less warning in section 3 , so mat will be chosen .

thanks in advance

Give this a try:

<?php
$group = array( 
1 => array ( 0 => 'john' , 1 => 4 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 6 ) ,
2 => array ( 0 => 'pat'  , 1 => 5 , 2 => 2 , 3 => 7 ) ,
3 => array ( 0 => 'mat'  , 1 => 4 , 2 => 6 , 3 => 6 ) ,
4 => array ( 0 => 'pink' , 1 => 2 , 2 => 2 , 3 => 10 ) 
) ;
function sort_keys ($x, $y) {
if ($x['1']>$y['1'])
	return -1;
else if ($x['1']<$y['1'])
	return 1;
if ($x['2']>$y['2'])
	return -1;
else if ($x['2']<$y['2'])
	return 1;
if ($x['3']<$y['3'])
	return -1;
else if ($x['3']>$y['3'])
	return 1;
return 0;
}
uasort ($group, 'sort_keys');
echo '<h3>Who is best?</h3><pre>' . print_r($group, 1) . '</pre>';
?>

thanks a lot .

it is working fine

although i don't know the meaning of return 1 and -1 .

it sorts the array. the key of the sub arrays  , hasn't change, how can i choose them  ? how can i pull out just the name ?

edit : i reviewed all but i'm not understanding this  :'(  return and x y is killing me!  how did x y applied for all 4 sub arrays ?  :'(

$winner = array_shift($group);
echo "<h3>The winner is {$winner['0']}</h3>";

This uasort function is not easily understood by beginners ( and I still consider myself one!). I learned it from a book called "PHP5 Advanced" by Larry Ulman. The uasort function takes a user defined function, which sorts according to the rules set within. $x and $y are simply variables set to the keys that are being sorted at that particular instance. You won't be disappointed with the book I mentioned. Go ahead and buy it!

thanks .

the php.net has said about return false or true,  i thought return 1 you meant return true , then return -1 should be 0 !

what does this return do ??

(i'm so embaressed i'm didn't understand it 100% , and questions pops up ! :/ 

can i tell me what to change , i want to make it if there were 3 or more persons who was equal in everything  ,then do stuff

?

thanks) 

*bump*

anyone out there could help me ?  i'm stucked!

how can i find if more than 2 persons are equal in everything ?

Maybe somebody else can help with this. This is what I have so far:

<?php
/* Each person should be judged by key 1 first. The person with the highest value wins
  *If there is a tie, then key 2 is checked, and the person with the highest value wins.
  *If there is still a tie, key3 is checked, and the person with the LOWEST value wins.
  */
$group = array( 
1 => array ( 0 => 'john' , 1 => 4 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 7 ) ,
2 => array ( 0 => 'pat'  , 1 => 4 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 7 ) ,
3 => array ( 0 => 'mat'  , 1 => 4 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 7 ) ,
4 => array ( 0 => 'pink' , 1 => 4 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 7 ) 
) ;
function sort_keys ($x, $y) {
if ($x['1']>$y['1'])
	return -1;
else if ($x['1']<$y['1'])
	return 1;
if ($x['2']>$y['2'])
	return -1;
else if ($x['2']<$y['2'])
	return 1;
if ($x['3']<$y['3'])
	return -1;
else if ($x['3']>$y['3'])
	return 1;
return 0;
}
uasort ($group, 'sort_keys');
echo '<h3>Who is best?</h3><pre>' . print_r($group, 1) . '</pre>';
$group2 = $group;
$winner = array_shift($group);
echo "<h3>The winner is {$winner['0']}</h3>";
/*
  *Now check if there are three or more people that have the same values
  */
$count = count($group2) - 2;
for ($i=1; $i <= $count; $i++){
$a = $i;
$b = $i + 1;
$c = $i + 2;
$three = array_intersect_assoc( $group2["$a"] , $group2["$b"] , $group2["$c"] );
if (array_key_exists('1', $three) && array_key_exists('2', $three) && array_key_exists('3', $three)){
	$nameOne = $group2["$a"]['0'];
	$nameTwo = $group2["$b"]['0'];
	$nameThree = $group2["$c"]['0'];
	echo "All of the value for $nameOne, $nameTwo, and $nameThree are the same<br>";
	echo "<pre>";
	print_r($three);
	echo "</pre>";
}
}
?>

I just want to have the output fixed so that it says "john, pat, mat, and pink all have the same values" instead of how it outputs now.

OK man, I've got done what you asked for. If you need anything else... buy some books. It's Christmas and I ain't gonna be around for a couple days.

<?php
/* Each person should be judged by key 1 first. The person with the highest value wins
  *If there is a tie, then key 2 is checked, and the person with the highest value wins.
  *If there is still a tie, key3 is checked, and the person with the LOWEST value wins.
  */
$group = $savedGroup = array( 
1 => array ( 0 => 'john' , 1 => 6 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 3 ) ,
2 => array ( 0 => 'pat'  , 1 => 6 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 3 ) ,
3 => array ( 0 => 'mat'  , 1 => 9 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 3 ) ,
4 => array ( 0 => 'pink' , 1 => 5 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 3 ) ,
5 => array ( 0 => 'joey' , 1 => 5 , 2 => 5 , 3 => 3 ) 
) ;
function sort_keys ($x, $y) {
if ($x['1']>$y['1'])
	return -1;
else if ($x['1']<$y['1'])
	return 1;
if ($x['2']>$y['2'])
	return -1;
else if ($x['2']<$y['2'])
	return 1;
if ($x['3']<$y['3'])
	return -1;
else if ($x['3']>$y['3'])
	return 1;
return 0;
}
uasort ($group, 'sort_keys');
echo '<h3>Who is best?</h3><pre>' . print_r($group, 1) . '</pre>';
$winner = array_shift($group);
echo "<h3>The winner is {$winner['0']}</h3>";
/*
  *Now check if there are people that have the same values
  */
$confirmed = array(0=>array());
foreach ($savedGroup as $member){
foreach ( $savedGroup as $otherMember ){
	if ( $otherMember != $member ) {
		for ($k=1; $k<=3; $k++){
			if ($member["$k"] == $otherMember["$k"]){	//the initial match of stat values
				$match["$member[0]"]["$otherMember[0]"]["$k"] = 'yes';	//add match confirmation of single value to array
				if (count($match["$member[0]"]["$otherMember[0]"])== '3'){	//check that all values are matches, indicating a true match
					for ($m=0; $m<=count($confirmed)-1; $m++){
						if(in_array( "$otherMember[0]", $confirmed["$m"] ) || in_array( "$member[0]", $confirmed["$m"] )){
							$found = $found +1;
						}
					}
					if( $found == 0 ){ //if no previous matches, make new $confirmed array
						static $matchGroup = 0;
						$confirmed["$matchGroup"][] = $member[0];
						$confirmed["$matchGroup"][] = $otherMember[0];
						$matchGroup++;
					}else{
						//add name as key to existing $confirmed array
						for($z=0; $z<=count($confirmed)-1; $z++){
							if(in_array( "$otherMember[0]", $confirmed["$z"] ) || in_array( "$member[0]", $confirmed["$z"] )){
								$confirmed["$z"][] = $member[0];
								$confirmed["$z"][] = $otherMember[0];
							}
						}
						$found = 0;
					}
				}
			}
		}
	}
}
}

for($g=0; $g<=count($confirmed)-1; $g++){
$confirmed["$g"] = array_unique($confirmed["$g"]);
}
$new = array();
for($b=0; $b<=count($confirmed)-1; $b++){
foreach ($confirmed["$b"] as $key => $val){
	$new["$b"][] = $val;
}
}
for($r=0; $r<=count($new)-1; $r++){
echo "<h3>The following members had an instance of complete duplicate stats:</h3>";
echo "<div style='width:200px; background-color:yellow;'>";
for($t=0; $t<=count($new["$r"])-1; $t++){
	echo $new["$r"]["$t"] . "<br>";
}
echo "</div>";
}

?>