Dynamic array keys

Question

I have a string like this:

$string = \'one/two/three/four\';

which I turn it into a array:

$keys = explode(\'/\', $string);

Answer 1

$string = 'one/two/three/four';
$keys = explode('/', $string);
$arr = array(); // some big array with lots of dimensions
$ref = &$arr;

while ($key = array_shift($keys)) {
    $ref = &$ref[$key];
}

$ref = 'value';

What this is doing:

• Using a variable, $ref, to keep track of a reference to the current dimension of $arr.
• Looping through $keys one at a time, referencing the $key element of the current reference.
• Setting the value to the final reference.