PHP: order a multi-dimensional array according to a list of values

Question

Given this array:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [status] => closed
            [userModifiedAt] => 2015-12-09T11:47:46Z
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [status] => active
            [userModifiedAt] => 2016-02-08T16:43:26Z
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [status] => closed
            [userModifiedAt] => 2016-03-31T03:47:19Z
        )

    [3] => Array
        (
            [status] => pending
            [userModifiedAt] => 2015-12-08T14:09:58Z
        )

I'd like to order it by [status] with this order: - pending - active - closed

And for each status, order by [userModifiedAt].

I'm using this code:

usort($array, function($a,$b){ return strcmp($a['status'], $b['status']);} );

But it works alphabetically, so the status is ordered as: - active - closed - pending

How can I order an array according to a predefined order list?

Answer 1

This would be a trick -

## A array with the orders to be considered
$order = array('active' => 1, 'closed' => 2, 'pending' => 3);

usort($array, function($a, $b) use($order) { // Use the order array to compare
    return $order[$a[status]] - $order[$b[status]];
});

var_dump($array);

Output

array(4) {
  [0]=>
  array(2) {
    ["status"]=>
    string(6) "active"
    ["userModifiedAt"]=>
    string(20) "2016-02-08T16:43:26Z"
  }
  [1]=>
  array(2) {
    ["status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["userModifiedAt"]=>
    string(20) "2015-12-09T11:47:46Z"
  }
  [2]=>
  array(2) {
    ["status"]=>
    string(6) "closed"
    ["userModifiedAt"]=>
    string(20) "2016-03-31T03:47:19Z"
  }
  [3]=>
  array(2) {
    ["status"]=>
    string(7) "pending"
    ["userModifiedAt"]=>
    string(20) "2015-12-08T14:09:58Z"
  }
}

Change the order array if you want different order. Key with lowest value will be first on the array. If you want closed to be first then provide the lowest value to it in $order array.

DEMO