Re: "convoluted"
I think the point being made is that array_udiff() can be used not only for comparisons between homogenous arrays, as in your example (and definitely the most common need), but it can be used to compare heterogeneous arrays, too.
Consider:
<?php
function compr_1($a, $b) {
$aVal = is_array($a) ? $a['last_name'] : $a;
$bVal = is_array($b) ? $b['last_name'] : $b;
return strcasecmp($aVal, $bVal);
}
$aEmployees = array(
array('last_name' => 'Smith',
'first_name' => 'Joe',
'phone' => '555-1000'),
array('last_name' => 'Doe',
'first_name' => 'John',
'phone' => '555-2000'),
array('last_name' => 'Flagg',
'first_name' => 'Randall',
'phone' => '666-1000')
);
$aNames = array('Doe', 'Smith', 'Johnson');
$result = array_udiff($aEmployees, $aNames, "compr_1");
print_r($result);
?>
Allowing me to get the "employee" that's not in the name list:
Array ( [2] => Array ( [last_name] => Flagg [first_name] => Randall [phone] => 666-1000 ) )
Something interesting to note, is that the two arguments to the compare function don't correspond to array1 and array2. That's why there has to be logic in it to handle that either of the arguments might be pointing to the more complex employee array. (Found this out the hard way.)
