How can I make an array when there are duplicate values?

Question

I have data that contains links for a navigation bar. It should be structured exactly like an unordered list, with a header and then all of the corresponding links below that header. I cannot seem to build this correctly. This would be some sample data from the database.

HEADING     LIST         LINK
Favs     google   http://...
Favs     yahoo   http://...
Favs     stackoverflow http://...
Site     first link  http://...
Site     second link  http://...

This data should then group all of the headings into one and then display the links associated with them. Is this even possible or maybe there is a better way?

I plan to use the "HEADING" and "LIST" to dynamically build a <UL> type of menu.

---

Well, this isn't working as I had hoped. Here is the array that is being built from the database. Notice how sidebar[0] and sidebar[1] rpeat the value "Favs". This will repeat the same value on my form which I don't want. All of the duplicate names should be grouped together. Is this possible?

Array
(
    [date] => Sun, 25 Oct 2009
    [sidebar] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [Favs] => Array
                        (
                            [author_sidebar_link] => google.com
                        )

                )

            [1] => Array
                (
                    [Favs] => Array
                        (
                            [author_sidebar_link] => yahoo.com
                        )

                )

            [2] => Array
                (
                    [Offsite] => Array
                        (
                            [author_sidebar_link_title] => something
                        )

                )

            [3] => Array
                (
                    [Something] => Array
                        (
                            [author_sidebar_link] => something else
                        )
                )
        )
)

Answer 1

You could use a multi-dimensional array like this:

<?php
$menu = array(
     'Favs' => array(
         array('LIST' => 'google', 'LINK' => 'http://...'),
         array('LIST' => 'yahoo', 'LINK' => 'http://...'),
         array('LIST' => 'stackoverflow', 'LINK' => 'http://...')
     ),
     'Site' => array(
         array('LIST' => 'first link', 'LINK' => 'http://...'),
         array('LIST' => 'second link', 'LINK' => 'http://...')
     )
);
?>

Answer 2

$menu = array('Favs' => array(
                              'Google' => 'http://',
                              'Yahoo' => 'http://'
                        ),
              'Site' => array(
                              'First' => 'http://',
                              'Second' => 'http://'
                        )
             );
foreach($menu as $category => $items){
    echo '<h3>' . $category . '</h3>';
    echo '<ul>';
    foreach($items as $name => $url){
        echo '<li><a href="' . $url . '">' . $name . '</a></li>';
    }
    echo '</ul>';
}

Answer 3

you can use this code

<?php
$_list = array();
foreach($_data as $k => $v){
 $_list[$v['HEADING']][$v['LIST']] = $v['LINK'];
}

foreach($_list as $k => $v){
 echo "<ul>".$k;
 foreach($v as $kk => $vv){
  echo "<li><a href='".$vv."'>".$kk."</a></li>";
 }
 echo "</ul>";
}
?>