Convert a PHP object to an associative array

Question

I\'m integrating an API to my website which works with data stored in objects while my code is written using arrays.

I\'d like a quick-and-dirty function to convert

Answer 1

Here I've made an objectToArray() method, which also works with recursive objects, like when $objectA contains $objectB which points again to $objectA.

Additionally I've restricted the output to public properties using ReflectionClass. Get rid of it, if you don't need it.

    /**
     * Converts given object to array, recursively.
     * Just outputs public properties.
     *
     * @param object|array $object
     * @return array|string
     */
    protected function objectToArray($object) {
        if (in_array($object, $this->usedObjects, TRUE)) {
            return '**recursive**';
        }
        if (is_array($object) || is_object($object)) {
            if (is_object($object)) {
                $this->usedObjects[] = $object;
            }
            $result = array();
            $reflectorClass = new \ReflectionClass(get_class($this));
            foreach ($object as $key => $value) {
                if ($reflectorClass->hasProperty($key) && $reflectorClass->getProperty($key)->isPublic()) {
                    $result[$key] = $this->objectToArray($value);
                }
            }
            return $result;
        }
        return $object;
    }

To identify already used objects, I am using a protected property in this (abstract) class, named $this->usedObjects. If a recursive nested object is found, it will be replaced by the string **recursive**. Otherwise it would fail in because of infinite loop.