Online PHP editor | output for uS5ru

<?php $data = array( array( "name" => "SomeName1", "type" => "A"), array( "name" => "SomeName2", "type" => "A"), array( "name" => "SomeName3", "type" => "A"), array( "name" => "SomeName4", "type" => "A"), array( "name" => "SomeName5", "type" => "A"), array( "name" => "SomeName6", "type" => "B"), array( "name" => "SomeName7", "type" => "B"), array( "name" => "SomeName8", "type" => "B"), array( "name" => "SomeName9", "type" => "C"), array( "name" => "SomeName0", "type" => "C") ); $dataSorted = array(); $counts = array(); foreach($data as $elem) { // just init values for a new type if(!isset($counts[$elem['type']])) { $counts[$elem['type']] = 0; $dataByType[$elem['type']] = array(); } // count types $counts[$elem['type']]++; // save it to grouped array $dataByType[$elem['type']][] = $elem; } // sort it to A=>5, B=>3 C=>2 arsort($counts, SORT_NUMERIC); // get sorted types as an array $types = array_keys($counts); // index will be looped 0 -> count($types) - 1 and then down to 0 again $currentTypeIndex = 0; // make a walk on sorted array. First get the most popular, then less popular etc. // when all types are added, repeat while(count($dataSorted) < count($data)) { $currentType = $types[$currentTypeIndex]; // skip adding if we ran out this type if($counts[$currentType]) { // pop an element of selected type $dataSorted[] = array_pop($dataByType[$currentType]); // decrease counter $counts[$currentType]--; } // choose next type $currentTypeIndex = (++$currentTypeIndex)%count($types); } print_r($dataSorted);