InputStrParser.php

<?php
/**
 * Input string parser that keeps variable keys in their original state.
 * 
 * Input string keys containing '-','.',' ' are replaced by PHP with parse_str or $_POST 
 * with '_'. So &I+have+a+space=value becomes array('I_hava_a_space'=>'value')
 * 
 * With InputStrParser->parseCharacterSafe('I+have+a+space=value') becomes 
 * array('I hava a space'=>'value')
 * 
 * Usage:
 * 
 * $str = file_get_contents("php://input");
 * $Parser = new InputStrParser();
 * $data = $Parser->parseCharacterSafe($str);
 * 
 */
class InputStrParser
{
	public function __construct()
	{
	}

	/**
	 * Attach value $value to array path 'foo[bar]'  eg. array('foo'=>array('bar'=>$value))
	 *
	 * @param mixed $value
	 * @param string $path
	 * @return array
	 */
	protected function attachValueToArrayPath($value,$path)
	{
		if( strpos($path, '[') === false )
		{
			return array($path=>$value);
		}
		
		$pathElements = array();
		
		// theres gotta be easier way
		while( strpos($path, '[') !== false)
		{
			$arrayPos =  strpos($path, '[');
			// Get the next key in the path starting from previous [
			$arrayKey = substr($path, 0,$arrayPos);
			
			$pathElements[] = trim($arrayKey);

			// Set the next search point in the path
			$path = substr($path, $arrayPos+1);
			
			$path = substr_replace($path , "", strpos($path, ']'),1);
		}
		
		$pathElements[] = $path;
		
		$pathElements = array_reverse($pathElements);
		
		$return  = array();
		
		$pointer = &$return;
		
		do 
		{
			// get key to set
			$key = array_pop($pathElements);
			
			// if it is the last key
			if(count($pathElements) == 0)
			{
				// set correct value
				$pointer = array($key => $value);
			}else 
			{
				// prepare for next key
				$pointer[$key]=array();
				
				// move pointer
				$pointer = &$pointer[$key];
			}
			
		}while(count($pathElements)>0);
		
		return $return;
	}

	protected function array_merge_phpinput($array1, $array2)
	{
		if(!is_array($array1))
		{
			$array1 = array();
		}
		
		foreach ( $array2 as $key => &$value )
		{
			if($key === "")
			{
				array_push($array1, $value );
			}else
			{
				if ( is_array ( $value ) )
				{
					if(isset($array1[$key]))
					{
						$array1[$key] = $this->array_merge_phpinput( $array1[$key], $value );
					}else
					{
						$array1[$key] = $this->array_merge_phpinput( array(), $value );
					}
				}else
				{
					$array1[$key] = $value; 
				}
			}
		}
		
		return $array1;
	}
	
	public function parseCharacterSafe($str)
	{
		$keyValues = explode("&",$str);

		$data = array();
		
		foreach($keyValues as $entry)
		{
			list($key,$value) = explode("=",$entry);
			
			$key = urldecode($key);
			$value = urldecode($value);
			
			$handled = $this->attachValueToArrayPath($value,$key);
			
			$data = $this->array_merge_phpinput($data,$handled);
		}
		
		return $data;
		
	}
	
}