you can use this function for return the difference of two array !
<?php
function array_unique_diff_key ($array1, $array2)
{
if (is_array($array1) && is_array($array2))
return array_diff_key($array1, $array2) + array_diff_key($array2, $array1);
else if (is_array($array1)) return $array1;
else if (is_array($array2)) return $array2;
else return array();
}
?>
array_diff_key
(PHP 5 >= 5.1.0)
array_diff_key — Computes the difference of arrays using keys for comparison
Description
$array1
, array $array2
[, array $...
] )
Compares the keys from array1
against the keys
from array2
and returns the difference.
This function is like array_diff() except the
comparison is done on the keys instead of the values.
Parameters
-
array1
-
The array to compare from
-
array2
-
An array to compare against
-
...
-
More arrays to compare against
Return Values
Returns an array containing all the entries from
array1
whose keys are not present in any of the
other arrays.
Examples
Example #1 array_diff_key() example
The two keys from the key => value pairs are considered equal only if (string) $key1 === (string) $key2 . In other words a strict type check is executed so the string representation must be the same.
<?php
$array1 = array('blue' => 1, 'red' => 2, 'green' => 3, 'purple' => 4);
$array2 = array('green' => 5, 'blue' => 6, 'yellow' => 7, 'cyan' => 8);
var_dump(array_diff_key($array1, $array2));
?>
The above example will output:
array(2) { ["red"]=> int(2) ["purple"]=> int(4) }
Notes
Note:
This function only checks one dimension of a n-dimensional array. Of course you can check deeper dimensions by using array_diff_key($array1[0], $array2[0]);.
See Also
- array_diff() - Computes the difference of arrays
- array_udiff() - Computes the difference of arrays by using a callback function for data comparison
- array_diff_assoc() - Computes the difference of arrays with additional index check
- array_diff_uassoc() - Computes the difference of arrays with additional index check which is performed by a user supplied callback function
- array_udiff_assoc() - Computes the difference of arrays with additional index check, compares data by a callback function
- array_udiff_uassoc() - Computes the difference of arrays with additional index check, compares data and indexes by a callback function
- array_diff_ukey() - Computes the difference of arrays using a callback function on the keys for comparison
- array_intersect() - Computes the intersection of arrays
- array_intersect_assoc() - Computes the intersection of arrays with additional index check
- array_intersect_uassoc() - Computes the intersection of arrays with additional index check, compares indexes by a callback function
- array_intersect_key() - Computes the intersection of arrays using keys for comparison
- array_intersect_ukey() - Computes the intersection of arrays using a callback function on the keys for comparison

To return the unique elements (those with a key that exists only once in either array but not in both) try:
function array_unique_diff ($array1, $array2)
{
array_merge(array_diff_key($array1, $array2), array_diff_key($array2, $array1));
}
Example:
$array1 = array('blue' => 1, 'red' => 2, 'green' => 3, 'purple' => 4);
$array2 = array('green' => 5, 'blue' => 6, 'yellow' => 7, 'cyan' => 8);
array_diff_key($array1, $array2)
returns
array ( 'red' => 2, 'purple' => 4 )
array_diff_key($array2, $array1)
returns
array ( 'yellow' => 7, 'cyan' => 8, )
array_unique_diff($array1, $array2);
returns
array ( 'red' => 2, 'purple' => 4, 'yellow' => 7, 'cyan' => 8, )
I needed something a little different where maybe even the keys in multidimensional arrays don't match up. Setting $assoc to false will cause only to check for missing keys, otherwise it compares values as well. This was also based on '2ge at 2ge dot us' function
<?php
function n_array_diff_assoc ($a1, $a2, $assoc=true) {
$r = array();
if(is_array(current($a1))):
foreach($a1 as $k => $v):
if(isset($a2[$k])):
$diff = n_array_diff($a1[$k], $a2[$k], $assoc);
if (!empty($diff)):
$r[$k] = $diff;
endif;
else:
$r[$k] = $v;
endif;
endforeach;
else:
$r = $assoc ? array_diff_assoc($a1, $a2) : array_diff_key($a1, $a2);
endif;
return $r;
}
?>
The PHP4 version below works only unidirectionally. If you switch the arrays around i.e. (ar2, ar1) you get different results than (ar1, ar2).
The recursive function suggested by '2ge at 2ge dot us' will provide you with empty arrays if there's no diff.
This variant of the function cleans up empty arrays and fixes a bug in the first suggested version. It works 100%
.
<?php
function array_diff_key_recursive ($a1, $a2) {
foreach($a1 as $k => $v) {
//$r[$k] = is_array($v) ? $this->array_diff_key_recursive($a1[$k], $a2[$k]) : array_diff_key($a1, $a2);
if (is_array($v))
{
$r[$k]=$this->array_diff_key_recursive($a1[$k], $a2[$k]);
}else
{
$r=array_diff_key($a1, $a2);
}
if (is_array($r[$k]) && count($r[$k])==0)
{
unset($r[$k]);
}
}
return $r;
}
?>
after kwutzke's comment , here is a PHP4 array_diff_key fonction for those in need
function PHP4_array_diff_key()
{
$arrs = func_get_args();
$result = array_shift($arrs);
foreach ($arrs as $array) {
foreach ($result as $key => $v) {
if (array_key_exists($key, $array)) {
unset($result[$key]);
}
}
}
return $result;
}
works for me, enjoy.
PHP4 array_diff_key can be copied from the array_intersect_key implementation posted by some anonymous user on 2006-07-17. The only thing you have to do is to delete the '!' in the if and rename the function.
Hello, if you need diff key of n-dimensional arrays here is nice solution:
<?php
function n_array_diff ($a1, $a2) {
foreach($a1 as $k => $v) {
$r[$k] = is_array($v) ? n_array_diff($a1[$k], $a2[$k]) : array_diff_key($a1, $a2);
}
return $r;
}
?>
it will print everything, what is missing in $a2.
One more alternative variant :)
<?
if (!function_exists('array_diff_key')) {
function array_diff_key() {
$argCount = func_num_args();
$diff_arg_prefix = 'diffArg';
$diff_arg_names = array();
for ($i=0; $i < $argCount; $i++) {
$diff_arg_names[$i] = 'diffArg'.$i;
$$diff_arg_names[$i] = array_keys((array)func_get_arg($i));
}
$diffArrString = '';
if (!empty($diff_arg_names)) $diffArrString = '$'.implode(', $', $diff_arg_names);
eval("\$result = array_diff(".$diffArrString.");");
return $result;
}
}
?>
Well, you could implement in the code something more powerfull:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.array-diff.php#31364
You may obtain this function with PEAR Package PHP_Compat (http://pear.php.net/package/PHP_Compat)
Then using such code is quite useful
<?php
if(!function_exists('array_diff_key')){
require_once 'PHP/Compat/Function/array_diff_key.php';
}
?>
Seems to be a great function, especially for n-dimensions arrays. The only problem is that I cannot find it in php 5.0.3 and 5.0.4. Does it really exist ?! :(
[20:27:05][maxence@conurb] ~/test2/php-5.0.4$ grep PHP_FUNCTION * -r | grep -i array_diff_key
[20:27:09][maxence@conurb] ~/test2/php-5.0.4$
<?php
function array_diff_key()
{
$args = func_get_args();
return array_flip(call_user_func_array('array_diff',
array_map('array_flip',$args)));
}
?>
if (!function_exists('array_diff_key'))
{
/**
* Computes the difference of arrays using keys for comparison
*
* @param array $valuesBase Base elements for comparison, associative
* @param array $valuesComp[,..] Comparison elements, associative
*
* @param array Elements, not existing in comparison element, associative
*/
function array_diff_key()
{
$argCount = func_num_args();
$argValues = func_get_args();
$valuesDiff = array();
if ($argCount < 2)
{
return false;
}
foreach ($argValues as $argParam)
{
if (!is_array($argParam))
{
return false;
}
}
foreach ($argValues[0] as $valueKey => $valueData)
{
for ($i = 1; $i < $argCount; $i++)
{
if (isset($argValues[$i][$valueKey]))
{
continue 2;
}
}
$valuesDiff[$valueKey] = $valueData;
}
return $valuesDiff;
}
}