array_pad

(PHP 4, PHP 5)

array_pad — Pad array to the specified length with a value

Description

array array_pad ( array $input , int $pad_size , mixed $pad_value )

array_pad() returns a copy of the input padded to size specified by pad_size with value pad_value . If pad_size is positive then the array is padded on the right, if it's negative then on the left. If the absolute value of pad_size is less than or equal to the length of the input then no padding takes place. It is possible to add most 1048576 elements at a time.

Parameters

input: Initial array of values to pad.
pad_size: New size of the array.
pad_value: Value to pad if input is less than pad_size .

Return Values

Returns a copy of the input padded to size specified by pad_size with value pad_value . If pad_size is positive then the array is padded on the right, if it's negative then on the left. If the absolute value of pad_size is less than or equal to the length of the input then no padding takes place.

Examples

Example #1 array_pad() example


<?php
$input = array(12, 10, 9);

$result = array_pad($input, 5, 0);
// result is array(12, 10, 9, 0, 0)

$result = array_pad($input, -7, -1);
// result is array(-1, -1, -1, -1, 12, 10, 9)

$result = array_pad($input, 2, "noop");
// not padded
?>


A simple example for array_pad()



the syntax is as follows: array_pad(array(), (+/-)int, value)



where "array" is the array to which the value is to be added,



"(+/-) int" is a value that decides the length of the array(it should be greater than the length of the array.

if its a negative number then the value will be added at the left of the array else it will be added to the right.



"values" denotes the value to be added to the array



lets try an example:



<?php



$digits = array();

$digits[0] = 1;

$digits[1] = 2;

$digits[2] = 3;

$arraypad = array_pad($digits, -4, "0");

print_r($arraypad);



?>



output:



Array ( [0] => 0 [1] => 1 [2] => 2 [3] => 3 )

oaev at mail dot ru
22-Oct-2004 03:48


Easy way to get an array contains 5 random numbers from 0 to 9:



$rand_arr = array_rand( array_pad( array(), 10, 1 ), 5 );

29-Feb-2004 02:00


One way to initialize a 20x20 multidimensional array.  





<?php


$a = array();


$b = array();


$b = array_pad($b,20,0);


$a = array_pad($a,20,$b);


?>

mwwaygoo at hotmail dot com
16-Jan-2004 01:02


little older, a little wiser.





ksort() will order the array back into its normal order again


so:





<?php


$myArr = array(2 => 'two', 4 => 'four');





$newArr = array_pad(array(), 6, 'FILLED');


$newArr =$myArr+$newArr;


ksort($newArr);


?>





Will give : 


Array ( [0] => FILLED [1] => FILLED [2] => two [3] => FILLED [4] => four [5] => FILLED )

goffrie at sympatico dot ca
23-Mar-2003 10:06


To daarius - you mean you have...





[2]=>"two"


[3]=>"three"





and you want...





[0]=>"FILLED"


[1]=>"FILLED"


[2]=>"two"


[3]=>"three"


[4]=>"FILLED"


[5]=>"FILLED"





If so, then the following code...





<?php


$array = array(2 => "two", 3 => "three");


$array = array_pad($array, count($array)+2, "FILLED");


$num = -(count($array)+2);


$array = array_pad($array, $num, "FILLED");


print_r($array);


?>





will return:


Array ( [0] => FILLED [1] => FILLED [2] => two [3] => three [4] => FILLED [5] => FILLED )


The ordering should be okay,...

mwwaygoo at hotmail dot com
19-Sep-2002 01:39


OR you could do this 





<?php


$myArr = array(2 => 'three', 3 => 'four');





$newArr = array_pad(array(), 4, 'FILLED');


$newArr =$myArr+$newArr;


?>





This gives your desired result BUT the ordering is a little wierd, because of the order they were added. Indexes are okay though and that is what you wanted.





print_r($newArr) outputs


Array ( [2] => three [3] => four [0] => FILLED [1] => FILLED )





hope this helps

daarius at hotmail dot com
23-Jul-2002 11:36


yes that is true. But, if the index of the array is 2=two, 3=three



and i want 4 more keys to be filled. But, not just filled anywhere, but i want to maintain the key index.



so, i would like to have 0=FILLED, 1=FILLED ... 4=FILLED, 5=FILLED



now i got 4 more keys padded with my string.



We can do this "if" we know the missing keys, but if we dont, then it would be nice for array_pad() or perhaps some new function to do this?



obviously we can achive this by looping through the array using array_key_exists(), and if you dont find the key, simply create + fill it.

regards,

Daarius...

scott*hurring.com
19-Jul-2002 08:20


to the previous commenter -- if you read the manual entry, you'd see that a negative pad_size will put the pad values at the front of the array.

ethanhunt314 at hotmail dot com
10-Dec-2000 09:25


This is useful when using next() and prev() function in a while loop to traverse an array. 





For example the following code will only output up to 8.





<?php


$test[] = "1";


$test[] = "2";


$test[] = "3";


$test[] = "4";


$test[] = "5";


$test[] = "6";


$test[] = "7";


$test[] = "8";


$test[] = "9";


$test[] = "10";


$test[] = " ";


$test[] = " ";


$test[] = " ";





$count = count($test);





while($i < $count) {





$now = current($test);


echo "<p>$now</p>";





next($test);


next($test);


next($test);


prev($test);


prev($test);


prev($test);








$i++;


next($test);


}


?>





But if you use:


$test = array_pad($test, 13, " ");





you will get all of your output.

add a note

array_pop

array_multisort

Last updated: Fri, 05 Sep 2008

array_pad

Description

Parameters

Return Values

Examples

See Also