variables containing func. names?

[Anon]

Hi,

Just wondering if it is possible to make a variable contain a name of or point to a function, and then use the "contents" of that variable to run the function. So, if you had like 50 different functions, you could, during the execution of your script, assign a variable to one of those functions that you'll need to run later (without running any of the others). Later on in the script, you could call up that variable and let the program decide what function to run. I've already found a way around it, but it involves a switch or if statement. Just wondering if there's a more direct way to do it.

Thanks

[Anon]

Sure that's possible, use eval().

$function_name = "foo";
eval("$function_name();");

The code above is similar to calling

foo();

Greetz,

Vincent Driessen
Venlo, The Netherlands

[Anon]

From the Wrox book "Professional PHP Programming" :

<snip!>

"PHP allows variables to refer to functions. This can be useful when dynamic conditions will determine which function should be called in a specific situation. When a variable refers to a function, the function can be invoked by placing praentheses containing the arguments (if any) after the variable name.

"In the following example, we do not know in advance which function should be called to load the page (assuming that the URL for the page has already been assigned to $URL), so we test the value of another variable ($browser_type) and assign the appropriate function to $loading_function.

switch ($browser_type) {

case "NN": // Netscape Navigator
$loading_function = "load_nn";
break;

case "IE": // Internet Explorer
$loading_function = "load_ie";
break;

default: // All others
$loading_function = "load_generic";

}

// Now call the appropriate loading function:
$loading_function($URL);

<snip!>

Good book, highly recommended!

-- Rich Rijnders
-- Irvine, CA US

[Anon]

NL! Groetjes! from a dislocated Dutchman!

-- Rich Rijnders
-- Irvine, CA US

[Anon]

Awesome, thanks guys