PHP array combinations

Question

I have an array of 7 numbers (1,2,3,4,5,6,7) and I want to choose 5 of the numbers like
(1,2,3,4,5), (1,2,3,4,6), (1,2,3,4,7).
Note that (1,2,3,4,5) is equal to (4,5,3,1,2), so only one of those should be included in the output.

I would like to know if there is a function in PHP or any algorithm that can do this ? I have no idea where to start from. Can you help me ?

I want all the combinations of 7 given numbers ( they are taken from an array ) put into 5 slots, disregarding order.

Answer 1

You can use the solution found here http://stereofrog.com/blok/on/070910.

Incase the link goes down here's the code....

class Combinations implements Iterator
{
    protected $c = null;
    protected $s = null;
    protected $n = 0;
    protected $k = 0;
    protected $pos = 0;

    function __construct($s, $k) {
        if(is_array($s)) {
            $this->s = array_values($s);
            $this->n = count($this->s);
        } else {
            $this->s = (string) $s;
            $this->n = strlen($this->s);
        }
        $this->k = $k;
        $this->rewind();
    }
    function key() {
        return $this->pos;
    }
    function current() {
        $r = array();
        for($i = 0; $i < $this->k; $i++)
            $r[] = $this->s[$this->c[$i]];
        return is_array($this->s) ? $r : implode('', $r);
    }
    function next() {
        if($this->_next())
            $this->pos++;
        else
            $this->pos = -1;
    }
    function rewind() {
        $this->c = range(0, $this->k);
        $this->pos = 0;
    }
    function valid() {
        return $this->pos >= 0;
    }

    protected function _next() {
        $i = $this->k - 1;
        while ($i >= 0 && $this->c[$i] == $this->n - $this->k + $i)
            $i--;
        if($i < 0)
            return false;
        $this->c[$i]++;
        while($i++ < $this->k - 1)
            $this->c[$i] = $this->c[$i - 1] + 1;
        return true;
    }
}


foreach(new Combinations("1234567", 5) as $substring)
    echo $substring, ' ';

12345 12346 12347 12356 12357 12367 12456 12457 12467 12567 13456 13457 13467 13567 14567 23456 23457 23467 23567 24567 34567