Filtering a Multidimensional Array based on User Input

Question

I found an excellent tutorial on how to filter a Multidimensional array here: PHP filter 2 dimensional array by specific key

While

$filtered = array_filter(
    $array, 
    function($v) { 
        return $v['type'] == 'folder'; 
    }
); 

does do exactly what I need in terms of only displaying the folder entries, I need to be able to filter the array based on user input.

So from the example used on the page I lised above, there would be a checkbox for folder, and for page, then depending on what the user chooses (page, folder, or both), their selection would be displayed.

The problem I am running into is that I can't seem to use a variable to store $v['type'] == 'folder'.

I am hoping to do something like:

$filtered = array_filter($array, function($v) { return $userSelections; });

I also explored the possibility of using eval() (I know it may not be the best idea, but I've tried everything else I can think of) to provide the contents of the variable, but that doesn't seem to work either.

Any advice here would be great.

Thanks.

Answer 1

That's probably because of the variable scope inside closures. Try something like the following:

$filtered = array_filter($array, 
    function($v) use ($userinput) { 
        return in_array($v['type'], $_POST['userSelections']); 
    }
);

With use you declare an outside variable as accessible from inside the closure - You make it "global" so to say.

Edit: I included the final solution from below.