PHP array_multisort() Function

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.

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

// 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

// 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

// 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