How to call a vary the NAME of a string using another string...

FunkMaster

Hello,

I have some strings...

$product_1 = 0
$product_2 = 1
$product_3 = 0
$product_4 = 1
etc...

...and I want to call one of the strings based on a variable $i
e.g. $i = 1 (o $i = 2, o $i = 3, etc...)

When $i == 3 I want to call $product_3

How do I do it?

I tried...

$varProduct = "\$product_".$i
echo "$varProduct"

...but this displays the word "$product_3" and not the value of the string $product_3 which should be "0".

Thank you for any help you can give me...

YappyDog

Try using a variable variable (second dollar sign)

$varProduct = "\$product_".$i
echo "$$varProduct"

http://us3.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.variable.php

dp777

$varProduct = "\$product_".$i

i believe if you drop the "" it should work so it would be:
$varProduct = $product.$i
if that doesn't work you can try a few other things:
=$product . "" . $i
or drop the _
=$product.$i

FunkMaster

Thanks !!

The idea from YappyDog worked !!

BUT for others who may have the same problem, you have to write it like this:

$varProduct = "product_".$i;
echo "$$varProduct";

i.e. you do not put "\$" in the value.

Thanks !!

Moonglobe

actually $project$i would work (no dot), and looks clearer. you could also use $project{$i} . but why complicate things?

kellog

Why not just use an array? It would be alot cleaner.

Weedpacket

Originally posted by FunkMaster
echo "$$varProduct";

Except that those quotes are unnecessary (and actually cause things to slow down).

But of course you could just go
echo ${"product_".$i};
and save yourself a variable.

But an array would still be ideal.