Zig-zag scan an N x N array

Question

I have a simple array. The array length always has a square root of an integer. So 16, 25, 36 etc.

$array = array(\'1\', \'2\', \'3\', \'4\' ... \'25\');
         


        

Answer 1

This is my take on it. Its similiar to qiuntus's response but more concise.

function wave($base) {
  $i = 1;
  $a = $base;
  $square = $base*$base;
  $out = array(1);

  while ($i < $square) {
    if ($i > ($square - $base)) { // hit the bottom
      $i++;
      $out[] = $i;
      $a = 1 - $base;
    } elseif ($i % $base == 0) { // hit the right
      $i += $base;
      $out[] = $i;
      $a = $base - 1;
    } elseif (($i - 1) % $base == 0) { // hit the left
      $i += $base;
      $out[] = $i;
      $a = 1 - $base;
    } elseif ($i <= $base) { // hit the top
      $i++;
      $out[] = $i;
      $a = $base - 1;
    }

    if ($i < $square) {
      $i += $a;
      $out[] = $i;
    }
  }

  return $out;
}