how php handles arrays

[Anon]

Suppose I do this:

$array[] = 1;
$array[] = 2;
$array[] = 15;

this works, the name value pairs would be 0:1, 1:2, 2:15

now, how about this:

$array[] = 1;
$array[] = 2;
$array['macaroni'] = 15;
$array['cheese'] = 25;

asking for $array[0] will give 1, $array[1] will give 2, etc. But there are times I don't want to find $array['macaroni'] but $array[2] instead. Is there any way of calling the internal index of the array (which I assume to be 2) versus 'macaroni'???

This is a lesson in how php thinks about arrays.

Sam Fullman
Compass Point Media.

[Anon]

Are you trying to do so that $array[2] returns $array['macaroni']? Then it's not possible, because of the way hashes are stored. When using hashes (i.e. associative arrays), there's no internal incrementing pointer. Instead, the key (e.g. 'macaroni') is converted into a hash code, and that hash code is used to access that array element later on.

Diego

[Anon]

What about:

$akeys = array_keys($array);
$array[$akeys[2]];