How do I Sort a Multidimensional Array in PHP [duplicate]

Answer 1

Multiple row sorting using a closure

Here's another approach using uasort() and an anonymous callback function (closure). I've used that function regularly. PHP 5.3 required – no more dependencies!

/**
 * Sorting array of associative arrays - multiple row sorting using a closure.
 * See also: http://the-art-of-web.com/php/sortarray/
 *
 * @param array $data input-array
 * @param string|array $fields array-keys
 * @license Public Domain
 * @return array
 */
function sortArray( $data, $field ) {
    $field = (array) $field;
    uasort( $data, function($a, $b) use($field) {
        $retval = 0;
        foreach( $field as $fieldname ) {
            if( $retval == 0 ) $retval = strnatcmp( $a[$fieldname], $b[$fieldname] );
        }
        return $retval;
    } );
    return $data;
}

/* example */
$data = array(
    array( "firstname" => "Mary", "lastname" => "Johnson", "age" => 25 ),
    array( "firstname" => "Amanda", "lastname" => "Miller", "age" => 18 ),
    array( "firstname" => "James", "lastname" => "Brown", "age" => 31 ),
    array( "firstname" => "Patricia", "lastname" => "Williams", "age" => 7 ),
    array( "firstname" => "Michael", "lastname" => "Davis", "age" => 43 ),
    array( "firstname" => "Sarah", "lastname" => "Miller", "age" => 24 ),
    array( "firstname" => "Patrick", "lastname" => "Miller", "age" => 27 )
);

$data = sortArray( $data, 'age' );
$data = sortArray( $data, array( 'lastname', 'firstname' ) );