Replacement for php's built-in explode function, doesn't break quotes, etc.

nonBreakingExplode.php

<?php

// a replacement for php's built-in explode function, doesn't break quotes, etc.

function nonBreakingExplode($delimiter, $string, $nobreakChars = array('"', '\'', '()', '[]')) {
    $pos = 0;
    $len = strlen($string);
    $delimiterLen = strlen($delimiter);
    $lastCut = 0;
    $nest = array();
    $lastNest = null;
    $parts = array();
    while ($pos <= $len - $delimiterLen) {
        $char = substr($string, $pos, 1);
        $delimTest = substr($string, $pos, $delimiterLen);
        $width = $pos - $lastCut;
        if ($lastNest == null && $delimTest == $delimiter) {
            // CUT
            if ($width==0) {
                $parts[] = '';
            } else {
                $parts[] = substr($string, $lastCut, $width );
            }
            $lastCut = $pos + $delimiterLen;
            $pos+=$delimiterLen; continue;
        }
        if (count($nest)>0) {
            if ($char==substr($lastNest, -1, 1)) {
                array_pop($nest);
                $lastNest = count($nest) > 0 ? $nest[count($nest) - 1] : null;
                $pos++; continue;
            }
        }
        foreach ($nobreakChars as $charset) {
            if ($char==substr($charset, 0, 1)) {
                $nest[] = $charset;
                $lastNest = $charset;
                $pos++; continue 2;
            }
        }
        $pos++;
    }
    if ($width==0) {
        $parts[] = '';
    } else {
        $parts[] = substr($string, $lastCut);
    }

    return $parts;
}

/* Test Code */

$testText = "naber, abi, 'iyimisin, bugunlerde', bence (okada[r, )d,]a iyi) degilsin";

$start = microtime(true);
print_r(explode(',', $testText));
$took['explode'] = round((microtime(true) - $start) * 1000000) . ' nanoseconds';

$start = microtime(true);
print_r(nonBreakingExplode(',', $testText));
$took['nonBreakingExplode'] = round((microtime(true) - $start) * 1000000) . ' nanoseconds';

print_r($took);