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PHP array_multisort() Function

Last Updated : 20 Jun, 2023
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The array_multisort() is an inbuilt function in PHP which is used to sort multiple arrays at once or a multi-dimensional array with each individual dimension. With this function, one should remember that string keys will be maintained, but numeric keys will be re-indexed, starting at 0 and increases by 1. Syntax:
bool array_multisort($array1, sorting_order, sorting_type, $array2..)
Parameters: The array generally takes one parameter that is the array which needs to be sorted. But in addition, the function can take two more optional parameters sorting_order and sorting_type.
  1. $array1: This parameter specifies the array which we want to sort.
  2. sorting_order: This parameter specifies the order to use i.e. in ascending or descending order. The default value of this parameter is SORT_ASC. That is, sorting in ascending order. In order to sort in descending order we will have to set this parameter to SORT_DESC.
  3. sorting_type: This parameter specifies the sort options for the arrays and they are as follows:
    • SORT_REGULAR: Compare elements regularly(Standard ASCII).
    • SORT_NUMERIC: Compare elements as numeric-values.
    • SORT_STRING: Compare elements as string values.
    • SORT_LOCALE_STRING: Compare elements as string, based on the current locale.
    • SORT_NATURAL: Compare elements as strings using "natural ordering".
    • SORT_FLAG_CASE: Can be combined (bitwise OR) with SORT_STRING or SORT_NATURAL to sort strings case-insensitively.
  4. If we want to sort multiple arrays, we can pass them as parameters like $array2, $array3... followed by their sorting_order, sorting_type.
Return value: The array_multisort() function returns a boolean value. That is it will return TRUE on success and FALSE on failure. Note:If two members on comparing become equal, their relative order in sorted array is undefined. Below programs illustrate the array_multisort() function: Program 1: php
<?php

// Input array
$animals = array("Dog", "Cat", "Horse", 
                "Bear", "Zebra", "Lion");

// sorting array using default values
// for sorting_order and sorting_type    
array_multisort($animals);
        
print_r($animals);
        
?>
Output:
Array
(
    [0] => Bear
    [1] => Cat
    [2] => Dog
    [3] => Horse
    [4] => Lion
    [5] => Zebra
)
Program 2: php
<?php

// Input arrays
$array1=array("Dog", "Cat");
$array2=array("Fido", "Missy");

// sorting multiple arrays using default values
// for sorting_order and sorting_type         
array_multisort($array1, $array2);

// printing sorted arrays         
print_r($array1);
print_r($array2);

?> 
Output:
Array
(
    [0] => Cat
    [1] => Dog
)
Array
(
    [0] => Missy
    [1] => Fido
)
Program 3: php
<?php

// Input arrays
$array1=array("Dog", "Dog", "Cat");
$array2=array("Pluto", "Fido", "Missy");

// sorting multiple arrays       
array_multisort($array1, SORT_ASC, $array2, SORT_DESC);

// Printing sorted arrays       
print_r($array1);
print_r($array2);

?> 
Output:
Array
(
    [0] => Cat
    [1] => Dog
    [2] => Dog
)
Array
(
    [0] => Missy
    [1] => Pluto
    [2] => Fido
)
Reference: http://php.net/manual/en/function.array-multisort.php

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