oop - What pattern should I use to convert PHP associative arrays to/from complex Object graphs? -

my data arrives in form of associative arrays. works, code mess of nested arrays , start using proper oo/objects make data easier work with. cannot change way receive data, find clean way convert associative arrays instances of classes below.

i have these classes model people in application:

class person {   /**    * @var string    */   private $_name;    /**    * @var array[dog]    */   private $_dogs = array();    /**    * @var array[hobby]    */   private $_hobbies = array(); }  class dog {   /**    * @var string    */   private $_color;    /**    * @var string    */   private $_breed; }  class hobby {   /**    * @var string    */   private $_description;   /**    * @var int    */   private $_cost; } 

my data (in json) looks this:

'person': {   'name': 'joe',   'dogs': [      {'breed': 'husky', 'color': 'black'},      {'breed': 'poodle', 'color': 'yellow'}    ]   'hobbies': [      {'description': 'skiing', 'cost': 500},      {'description': 'running', 'cost': 0}    ] } 

i can convert json associative array using json_decode, difficulty comes in converting each of nested hobby , pet objects appropriate classes, , when want associative array back, converting these objects associative arrays again.

i can writing to/from array function in each of classes seems rather messy , prone error. there more straightforward way can hydrate/dehydrate these objects?

add hobby

public function fromarray($array){  if(isset($array['description'])){     $this->_description = $array['description']; } if(isset($array['cost'])){     $this->_cost = $array['cost']; } }  public function toarray(){  $array = array(); $array['description'] = $this->_description; $array['cost'] = $this->_cost; return $array; } 

and dog:

public function fromarray($array){  if(isset($array['breed'])){     $this->_breed = $array['breed']; } if(isset($array['cost'])){     $this->_cost = $array['color']; } }  public function toarray(){  $array = array(); $array['breed'] = $this->_breed; $array['color'] = $this->_color; return $array; } 

and in person class:

public function fromarray($array){  if(isset($array['name'])){     $this->_name = $array['name']; } if(isset($array['dogs'])){     foreach($array['dogs'] $dogarray){         $dog = new dog();         $dog->fromarray($dogarray);         $this->_dogs[] = $dog;     } }  if(isset($array['hobbies'])){     foreach($array['hobbies'] $hobbyarray){         $hobby = new hobby();         $hobby->fromarray($hobbyarray);         $this->_hobbies[] = $hobby;     } } }  public function toarray(){  $array = array(); $array['name'] = $this->_name; foreach($this->_dogs $dogobj){     $array['dogs'][] = $dogobj->toarray();; } foreach($this->_hobbies $hobbyobj){     $array['hobbies'][] = $hobbyobj->toarray();; } return $array; }