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PHP PHP Arrays and Control Structures PHP Arrays Multidimensional Arrays

Phil Nickel
Phil Nickel
2,077 Points
Posted by Phil Nickel
Phil Nickel
2,077 Points

I don't know how I use these multidemensional array

I do not know how I keep this task done.

index.php 
<?php
//edit this array
$contacts = array('Alena Holligan :' => 'alena.holligan@teamtreehouse.com', 'Dave McFarland' => 'dave.mcfarland@teamtreehouse.com', 'Treasure Porth' => 'treasure.porth@teamtreehouse.com', 'Andrew Chalkley' => 'andrew.chalkley@teamtreehouse.com');


//$contacts[0] will return 'Alena Holligan' in our simple array of names.
echo $contacts[0];
echo $contacts[1];
echo $contacts[2];
echo $contacts[3];

1 Answer

Jacob Herrington
Jacob Herrington
15,835 Points
Jacob Herrington
Jacob Herrington
15,835 Points

The challenge is asking for an associative array. That is an array in which there is a key set by you and a value set by you.

In a simple array, I assign only the values. Here is a simple, non-associative array:

$my_array = array("first", "second", "third");

// if I want to access a member of $my_array
echo $my_array[0]; // will echo the string "first"

In an associative array, I assign keys as well as values using the => operator (aka the T_DOUBLE_ARROW):

$my_associative_array = array("first_key" => "first_value", "second_key" => "second_value");

// if I want to access a member of $my_associative_array
echo $my_associative_array["first_key"]; // will echo the string "first_value"

So in your code you should be making associative arrays using the => operator rather than simple arrays. Then referring to them with the key you assigned.

For example

echo $contacts["Alena Holligan"]; // echos the string "alena.holligan@teamtreehouse.com"

Let me know if this isn't clear enough.