arrays and variable variables

jesus_hairdo

i have a loop in which i create a variable variable, $$answers, (for example $$answers resprents, $q2_answers.)
this variable should be an numeric array containing every answer for the question, eg $q2_answers = array ('a','b','b','a','c') etc.
Now i am trying to do a $$answers[] = $question answer, if i do this i get "Cannot use [] for reading ". i tried using {$$answer}[] but that just gave a parse error.
I considered using array_push but found that the variable needs to be initialised already, which it wont be.

Any ideas ??
thanks

Jamie

Anon

try:

${$answer}[]

jesus_hairdo

Thanks that 'works' in that it no longer gives a parsing error, i now get "Fatal error: Cannot use [] for reading in /var/www/html/report2.php on line 36"
(same as if i use $$answer[])

The basic idea is that i've had a questionnaire online which people have filled in. Now i've come to do the results for it. The questions were all multiple choice so i've just stored the letter of the option they chose, (ie a, b or c).
What i am trying to do is to get arrays of answers for each question and then use 'array_count_values()' on each of these arrays to count the answers.
any suggestions

cheers

this is my code

$sql_reply_count = "select count(ID) from relocation";
$result_count = mysql_query ($sql_reply_count) or die (mysql_error());
$count = mysql_fetch_row($result_count) ;
$number_of_replies = $count[0] ;
?>
<p>Total Number of Replies = <? echo $number_of_replies ;
?>
</p>
<?
$sql_average_distance = "select avg(Q1) from relocation";
$result_average_distance = mysql_query ($sql_average_distance) or die(mysql_error());
$row_average_distance = mysql_fetch_row($result_average_distance);
$average_distance = $row_average_distance[0] ;
?>
<p>Average Distance travelled to work = <? echo $average_distance ;
?> miles
</p>
<?
$sql_answers = "select from relocation" ;
$result_answers = mysql_query ($sql_answers) or die( mysql_error());
while ($row_answers = mysql_fetch_array ($result_answers))
{
$questions = array('Q2', 'Q3', 'Q4', 'Q5', 'Q7', 'Q8', 'Q9', 'Q10_a', 'Q10_b', 'Q10_c', 'Q10_d', 'Q10_e', '10_f', 'Q12', 'Q13');
for ($number = 0; $number < count($questions); $number ++)
// loops through the questions in the array
{
//this loop forms an array of answers for each question in the $questions array
$question = $questions[$number];/this gives the question number ie Q2/
$answers = $question;
$answers .= "_answers";/this creates $answers = Q2_answers ready for variable variable*/
${$answers}[] = $row_answers[$question] ;
}
}

for ($i = 0; $i < count($questions); $i ++)
{
$answers = $question ;
$answers .= "answers";
$counts = $questions[$i];
$counts = "responses";
$$counts = array_count_values($$answers);
print "Question $questions[$i]";

/*while ($element = each ($$counts))
{
	$answer = ["key"];
	$number = ["value"];
	$percentage = ($number/$number_of_replies)*100;
	print "$answer : $percentage";
}*/

}