Array comparison question

[phpCodeHead]

Hello fellow codemeisters!

I am needing to parse through two lists of serial numbers for parts
being received into an inventory database. First, is the list of
serial numbers already in the database (these were provided from mfg
and sucked into db via xml web service); the second is a list that
will be populated into a textarea field, via barcode scanning, on the
receiving form during the receiving process (to us, at run time).
Prior to inerting the data, I am needing to display, in a color-coded
fashion, any serial numbers being received that were not provided by
the mfg; as well as the serial numbers being received in that were not
provided by the mfg already. I then need to compare and have say, for
simplicity sake, all matched in "green"; all that were in db but not
received in "red"; and all received in but on in db in "yellow".

I am thinking of using array_diff(). ( believe me, there is a
question coming!! :-) )

The code looks like this:

<?php
// in my real app:
// $array1 is pulled from the db; these are serial numbers for a
single lineitem to be received in on a PO
// $array2 is pulled from the db as well; these are the provided
serial numbers from the xml
$array1 = array("snFromPO " =100234, 100345, 100456, 100567,
100678);
$array2 = array("snFromXM L" =100234, 100345, 100456, 100678,
100789);
$result = array_diff($arr ay1, $array2);
$result2 = array_diff($arr ay2, $array1);

foreach ( $result AS $diff ) {
echo 'Serial numbers receiving not in database: <div
class="caution" >' . $diff . '</div>, ';
}
echo '<br />';

foreach ( $result2 as $diff ) {
echo 'Serial numbers in database not receiving in: <div
class="nogo">' . $diff . '</div>, ';
}
echo '<br />';
?>

As you may have guessed, this returns:

Serial numbers receiving not in database: 100567,
Serial numbers in database not receiving in: 100789,

Finally, the question: As you can see I am passing the two arrays into
array_diff() twice; once to get the diff between $array1 and $array2;
the second to get the diff between $array2 and $array1.

Is this the best approach to take to accomplish my goal? Is there a
better way of doing this?

I appreciate any and all comments, suggestions, and put downs. :-)

Thanks all,

Gene Kelley
PHP Developer
Falkor Group, LLC
Chicago, IL, USA

[Schraalhans Keukenmeester]

Re: Array comparison question

phpCodeHead wrote:

Hello fellow codemeisters!
>
I am needing to parse through two lists of serial numbers for parts
being received into an inventory database. First, is the list of
serial numbers already in the database (these were provided from mfg
and sucked into db via xml web service); the second is a list that
will be populated into a textarea field, via barcode scanning, on the
receiving form during the receiving process (to us, at run time).
Prior to inerting the data, I am needing to display, in a color-coded
fashion, any serial numbers being received that were not provided by
the mfg; as well as the serial numbers being received in that were not
provided by the mfg already. I then need to compare and have say, for
simplicity sake, all matched in "green"; all that were in db but not
received in "red"; and all received in but on in db in "yellow".
>
I am thinking of using array_diff(). ( believe me, there is a
question coming!! :-) )
>
The code looks like this:
>
<?php
// in my real app:
// $array1 is pulled from the db; these are serial numbers for a
single lineitem to be received in on a PO
// $array2 is pulled from the db as well; these are the provided
serial numbers from the xml
$array1 = array("snFromPO " =100234, 100345, 100456, 100567,
100678);
$array2 = array("snFromXM L" =100234, 100345, 100456, 100678,
100789);
$result = array_diff($arr ay1, $array2);
$result2 = array_diff($arr ay2, $array1);
>
foreach ( $result AS $diff ) {
echo 'Serial numbers receiving not in database: <div
class="caution" >' . $diff . '</div>, ';
}
echo '<br />';
>
foreach ( $result2 as $diff ) {
echo 'Serial numbers in database not receiving in: <div
class="nogo">' . $diff . '</div>, ';
}
echo '<br />';
?>
>
As you may have guessed, this returns:
>
Serial numbers receiving not in database: 100567,
Serial numbers in database not receiving in: 100789,
>
Finally, the question: As you can see I am passing the two arrays into
array_diff() twice; once to get the diff between $array1 and $array2;
the second to get the diff between $array2 and $array1.
>
Is this the best approach to take to accomplish my goal? Is there a
better way of doing this?
>
I appreciate any and all comments, suggestions, and put downs. :-)
>
Thanks all,
>
Gene Kelley
PHP Developer
Falkor Group, LLC
Chicago, IL, USA
>

Looks sound and elegant to me. Way faster than looping manually through
the arrays.
Note the result arrays may have empty 'cells' in them. Apparantly both
array_merge() and array_values() strip the empty ones from your
resulting arrays, the latter is said to be significantly faster. (not
tested by me, so don't kill me if I'm wrong).

Have you got any test results indicating how long the given operations
will take on seriously long arrays? From the description of the issue at
hand I reckon they can become quite large in a realistic application.

GL
Sh

[Simon Stienen]

Re: Array comparison question

You could array_intersect + array_unique before array_diffing to get the
part numbers that are in common first. This speeds up array_diff, since it
has to compare fewer items. However, as you have to array_intersect (+
array_unique) first, overall performance might even be decreased.

Another approach might be to array_flip the common numbers instead off
array_uniqueing them (since flipping does unique them anyway), then looping
the arrays yourself using foreach or array_filter and check for the
existance of he number using isset($common_f lipped[$number]). I'm not into
PHPs array interna, but this might use a search tree (as it's an index
lookup) and therefore a complexity of O(log(n)) per item, while I suspect
array_diff to iterate through the items, therefore having a complexity of
O(n). AIMB: I'm not into the interna, but it might be faster at large tile
lists.