How to create an multidimensional array in VB.NET or PHP

I have a data set that is setup for comments. I have levels and a sort column but now I would like to either get this in an array or display it somehow in a meaningful way:

id    comment           Parentid    Level   sortcol
2       Test                   NULL    0    0x00000002
4       This is the Second     NULL    0    0x00000004
5       First Reply             4      1    0x000000040005
7       Reply to first reply    5      2    0x0000000400050007
6       Second Reply            4      1    0x000000040006
8       Reply to second comment 4      1    0x000000040008

How do I get this into an array in PHP or VB.net (I don't have a preference and use both regularly).

I want an array that looks like this (I am just specifying the ids:

array([0]
         [id]=>2
      [1]
         [id]=>4
             array([0]
                      [id]=>5
                       array([0]
                                [id]=>7
                            )
    开发者_JAVA技巧               [1]
                      [id]=>6
                   [2]
                      [id]=>8
                   )
       )

The data is a SQL result.

Note: I'm assuming, despite its being unspecified, that you need a 'children' key in addition to 'id', to contain the subarrays.

// Skip list, to hold data as well as reference to nested list later
$flat = array ();
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))
    $flat[$row['id']] = $row;

$root = array ();
foreach ($flat as $id => $row)
{
    // Get reference to parent, or root if none set
    if (!$row['Parentid'])
        $parent =& $root;
    else
        $parent =& $flat[$row['Parentid']]['ref'];

    if (!$parent['children'])
        $parent['children'] = array (); 

    // Append new child
    $parent['children'][] = array ('id' => $id);
    // Add newly appended child to skip list
    $flat[$id]['ref'] =& end ($parent['children']);
}

// Final nested list
$nested = $root['children'];

For this to work, all parents must appear before their children in the flat list

You should use a Typed DataSet in VB .Net.

Typed DataSets will allow you to do it with almost no code, and are much easier to use than a 2-dimensional array.

To get started, create a new VB.Net project, add a Typed DataSet, and follow the instructions.