php - How to group a multidimensional array by a particular subarray value?

Question

I have a multidimensional array and am trying to group them according to the value in a specific column.

I'm trying to group them by level, but I won't actually know the level beforehand. So, it's not like I can put it in a for loop and say while $i < 7, because I won't know that 7 is the maximum value for the level key, and frankly, I'm not sure that's how I would need to do it even if I did...

Array (
   [0] => Array (
          [cust] => XT8900
          [type] => standard
          [level] => 1
          )
   [1] => Array (
          [cust] => XT8944
          [type] => standard
          [level] => 1
          )
   [2] => Array (
          [cust] => XT8922
          [type] => premier
          [level] => 3
          )
   [3] => Array (
          [cust] => XT8816
          [type] => permier
          [level] => 3
          )
   [4] => Array (
          [cust] => XT7434
          [type] => standard
          [level] => 7
          )
)

What I'm hoping to produce:

Array (

   [1] => Array (
          [0] => Array (
                    [cust] => XT8900
                    [type] => standard
                    )
          [1] => Array (
                    [cust] => XT8944
                    [type] => standard
                    )
          )

   [3] => Array (
          [2] => Array (
                 [cust] => XT8922
                 [type] => premier
                 )

          [3] => Array (
                 [cust] => XT8816
                 [type] => permier
                 )
          )

   [7] => Array (
          [4] => Array (
                 [cust] => XT7434
                 [type] => standard
                 )
          )
)

Answer 1

Best way, if you have control over building the initial array, is just set things up like that at the start as you add entries.

If not then build a temporary array to sort:

foreach ($input_arr as $key => &$entry) {
    $level_arr[$entry['level']][$key] = $entry;
}

Leaves you with the form you wanted and everything referenced together.

Build the array like that in the first place though if at all possible.