Select 9 elements from 3 arrays in PHP -

as part of autocomplete ajax script writing, pull total of 9 results 3 sets of results.

each result type has array holds maximum of 9 results type. there total of 3 result type arrays follows:

$places; $venues; $types; 

the autosuggest should include maximum of 9 results of type. so, if take lenght of each array follows:

$places = 9; $venues = 9; $types = 9; 

the result array should include 3 results $places, 3 results $venues , 3 results $types.

however, if counts instead this:

$places = 1; $venues = 8; $types = 1; 

the result array should included 1 result $places, 7 results $venues , 1 result $types.

i can't life of me figure out efficient logic handle this. tried writing each instance in if() else if() block, doesn't seem efficient. example:

$numplaces = count($places); $numvenues = count($venues); $numtypes  = count($types); $total = $numplaces + $numvenues + $numtypes;  $results = array();  if( $total <= $maxresults ) {     foreach( return_x_items( $places, min(3, $numplaces) ) $item ) { $results[] = $item; }     foreach( return_x_items( $venues, min(3, $numvenues) ) $item ) { $results[] = $item; }     foreach( return_x_items( $types , min(3, $numtypes ) ) $item ) { $results[] = $item; } } else {     $remaining = 9;      if( $numplaces > $maxoftype && $numvenues > $maxoftype && $numtypes > $maxoftype )     {         foreach( return_x_items( $places, 3 ) $item ) { $results[] = $item; }         foreach( return_x_items( $venues, 3 ) $item ) { $results[] = $item; }         foreach( return_x_items( $types , 3 ) $item ) { $results[] = $item; }     }     elseif( $numplaces > $maxoftype && $numvenues > $maxoftype && $numtypes < $maxoftype )     {         foreach( return_x_items( $places, 3 ) $item ) { $results[] = $item; }         foreach( return_x_items( $venues, ($maxresults - (3 + $numtypes) ) ) $item ) { $results[] = $item; }         foreach( return_x_items( $types , $numtypes ) $item ) { $results[] = $item; }     }     elseif ( $numplaces > $maxoftype && $numvenues > $maxoftype && $numtypes < $maxoftype )     {      } } 

can suggest method achieve i'm trying do?

very done didn't have time, logic might able you, i'd approach this:

// result types $places = ['place']; $venues = ['venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue',]; $type = ['type'];  // place them in common array $result_types = [     $places,$venues,$type ];  // sort smallest largest usort($result_types, 'sort_by_size');  function sort_by_size($a, $b){     return count($a) - count($b); }  $result_count = 9; // want have max total of 9 results $return = []; ($i = 0; $i < $result_count; $i++) { // regardless of number of each result types, loop through 9 times     foreach ($result_types &$types) { // loop through each result type in order specified earlier         foreach ($types $key => $value) { // loop through type within each             $return[] = $value; // take first value             unset($types[$key]); // remove don't use again              if (count($return) < $result_count) {                 break; // got result, break out , proceed next result type             } else {                 break(3); // we've reached limit, break out of             }         }     } } 

so in case, should have 1 place, 1 type, , 7 venues

print_r($return); array ( [0] => place [1] => type [2] => venue [3] => venue [4] => venue [5] => venue [6] => venue [7] => venue [8] => venue )  

if tried this:

$places = ['place','place','place','place']; $venues = ['venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue',]; $type = ['type']; 

we should 4 places, 4 venues, 1 type? do

array ( [0] => type [1] => place [2] => venue [3] => place [4] => venue [5] => place [6] => venue [7] => place [8] => venue )  

and this:

$places = ['place','place','place','place']; $venues = ['venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue','venue',]; $type = ['type','type','type','type']; 

we should have 3 of each, do:

array ( [0] => place [1] => type [2] => venue [3] => place [4] => type [5] => venue [6] => place [7] => type [8] => venue )  

done way, it'll try have equal amount of each result type feed it. when can't, it'll take have more fill until reaches specified max amount.