PHP preg match pattern [var1] var2

Question

I'm trying to get started with preg_match, but I could not get the right pattern.

The string looks like [abc] def [ghi] jul [mno] pqr.

I need something like array(abc => def, ghi => jul, mno => pqr).

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Try this regex

/\[([a-z]+)\]( [a-z]+)?/

in preg_match_all()

After that try

$regex = '/\[([a-z]+)\][ ]?([a-z]+)?/';
$string = '[abc] def [ghi] jul [mno] pqr';

preg_match_all($regex, $string, $matches);

$arr = array();

foreach($matches[1] as $index => $match){
    $arr[$match] = $matches[2][$index];
}

print_r($arr);

You can add isset() for $matches[2][$index] but I think my code is also works.

@MateiMihai suggestion $result = array_combine($matches[1], $matches[2]);