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Batch reset data field values

M66 2025-06-06

When processing data, we often encounter situations where we need to batch reset certain field values ​​in the array to the initial value. This requirement is especially common, for example, when resetting user information, initializing configuration, or clearing form fields. The array_fill_keys() function provided by PHP can help us achieve this goal efficiently.

What is array_fill_keys?

array_fill_keys() is an array function provided by PHP. Its function is to create an array using the specified key name and set the same value for each key . The function prototype is as follows:

 array array_fill_keys(array $keys, mixed $value)
  • $keys : an array containing array keys.

  • $value : The value to be filled to each key.

Practical case: Reset field value

Suppose we have an array of user information, as follows:

 $user = [
    'name' => 'Alice',
    'email' => 'alice@m66.net',
    'phone' => '123456789',
    'address' => '123 Street'
];

Now we want to reset the values ​​of the three fields name , email and phone to an empty string, we can do this:

 $fieldsToReset = ['name', 'email', 'phone'];
$resetValues = array_fill_keys($fieldsToReset, '');

$user = array_merge($user, $resetValues);

print_r($user);

Output result:

 Array
(
    [name] => 
    [email] => 
    [phone] => 
    [address] => 123 Street
)

As you can see, array_fill_keys() quickly generates a new array where the values ​​of the specified fields are set to empty, and then we use array_merge() to combine it with the original number to achieve the purpose of batch reset.

Purpose expansion: Initialize the default configuration

Another common use is to initialize a set of configuration items. For example, you might need to initialize the settings for a module:

 $settingsKeys = ['theme', 'language', 'timezone', 'notifications'];
$defaultSettings = array_fill_keys($settingsKeys, null);

print_r($defaultSettings);

Output result:

 Array
(
    [theme] => 
    [language] => 
    [timezone] => 
    [notifications] => 
)

This ensures that each setting item has a default value, avoiding errors when accessing undefined indexes.

Summarize

Using array_fill_keys() can greatly simplify our batch reset or initialization of data fields in PHP. Combined with array_merge() , it can also be elegantly fused with the original array, which is a very practical technique for processing array data.

In daily development, when you encounter a need to set a set of fields to a certain value uniformly, don't forget to try array_fill_keys() - simple, efficient and elegant.