search array by column value using in array and strpos return line and data search delimited file array by column strpos in array search tomatos search $val) { $values = explode(';', $val); // array search if (in_array($searchVal,$values)) { //return row as string uncomment //$complete[$i] =$handle_row[$key]; //return row as array $complete[$i] =$values; $found='1'; } // strpos search if (!$found) { foreach ($values as $k=>$v) { if (strpos($v,$searchVal) !== false){ //return row array $complete[$i] =$values; //return that field value only or specify $values['data3']; //$complete[$i] =$values[$k]; } } } $i++; } } echo '
'; var_dump($complete); echo ''; exit;; ?>