How to Explode String Right to Left ?

$split_point = ' - ';
$string = 'this is my - string - and more';

How can i make a split using the second instance of $split_point and not the first one. Can I specify somehow a right to left search? Best simple approach?

Basically how do I explode from Right to Left. I want to pick up the last instance of " - ".

Result I need:

$item[0]='this is my - string'; $item[1]='and more';

and not:

$item[0]='this is my'; $item[1]='string - and more';

From stackoverflow

• If I understand correctly, you want the example case to give you ('this is my - string', 'and more')?

  Built-in split/explode seems to be forwards-only - you'll probably have to implement it yourself with strrpos. (right-left search)

  $idx = strrpos($string, $split_point);
  $parts = array(substr($string, 0, $idx), substr($string, $idx+strlen($split_point)))
  

• You may use strrev to reverse the string, and then reverse the results back:

  $split_point = ' - ';
  $string = 'this is my - string - and more';
  
  $result = array_map('strrev', explode($split_point, strrev($string)));
  

  Not sure if this is the best solution though.

  Evert : Creative! solution!

  Codex73 : Sounds great,., Wow... I'll try now and see.

  Codex73 : Why use split and not explode? Any difference?

  moff : Oops, I thought I was coding in JavaScript there, I've now corrected it.

  Codex73 : How do I reverse it again?

  Codex73 : I mean reverse the array.

  Codex73 : dont quite also get the array_map usage

  moff : array_map runs strrev over every element in the array, and returns the result. You may also try something like this, which may be simpler: $result = array_reverse(explode($split_point, $string));

• Why not split on ' - ', but then join the first two array entries that you get back together?

  Codex73 : sounds interesting.

  Codex73 : but i need to split on the last instance always of -.

  SilentGhost : +1, the easiest way

  Alister Bulman : if it is always going to be the last instance, you can find the last match with http://php.net/strrpos, then that whichever side you want to/from that position with substr

• How about this:

  $parts = explode($split_point, $string);
  $last = array_pop($parts);
  $item = array(implode($split_point, $parts), $last);
  

  Not going to win any golf awards, but it shows intent and works well, I think.

• Assuming you only want the first occurrence of $split_point to be ignored, this should work for you:

  # retrieve first $split_point position
  $first = strpos($string, $split_point);
  # retrieve second $split_point positon
  $second = strpos($string, $split_point, $first+strlen($split_point));
  # extract from the second $split_point onwards (with $split_point)
  $substr = substr($string, $second);
  
  # explode $substr, first element should be empty
  $array = explode($split_point, $substr);
  
  # set first element as beginning of string to the second $split_point
  $array[0] = substr_replace($string, '', strpos($string, $substr));
  

  This will allow you to split on every occurrence of $split_point after (and including) the second occurrence of $split_point.