Two functions to manipulate multi-dimensional arrays

multidimensional.php

<?php

/**
 * Two functions to work with multidimensional arrays.
 * md_get to get array value using key separated by '.'
 * md_set to set array value using key separated by '.'
 * Easy, huh?
 * 
 * @author volter9
 */

// Functions

function md_get ($key, $array) {
	
	$keys = explode('.', $key);
	
	while ( is_array($array) ) {
		$key = array_shift($keys);
		
		$array = $array[$key];
	}
	
	return $array;
}

function md_set ($key, $value, &$array) {
	
	$keys = explode('.', $key);
	$temp = $array;
	$curs = &$temp;
	
	while ( is_array($curs) ) {
		$key = array_shift($keys);
		
		$curs = &$curs[$key];
	}
	
	$curs = $value;
	$array = $temp;
}

// Example

$c = array (
  'friend' => array ( 
    'peter' => 'Hi!',
    'james' => 'Hello!'
   )
);

// That's how real men work with arrays :D
md_set('friend.james', 'What\'s up?', $c);

print md_get('friend.james', $c);