[Resolved] PHP treats a string like an array

[vitalyb]

Consider the following code:

$string_array[2] = 'Something';
echo $string_array[2];

It prints 'Something' as it should. However, I needed the array to be accepted dynamically into a function and thus I got something like that:

$property = 'string_array';
$property[2] = 'Something';
echo $property[2];

Problem is that it doesn't work... Since PHP treats $property as a string and then goes and does something as silly as t = 'something' which doesn't do any good.

What else can I do? The array itself must be associative and I also can't use the array() function since the item should be added to an existing array.

Thanks

[superwormy]

Not quite sure what you mean by 'I needed the array to be accepted dynamically into a function' but what you're doing definitally will not work.

First you've defined $property as a string ( equal to " string_array " ) and then you're redefining it as an array, losing the old value.

You need to choose, iether string, or array.

If you're just trying to pass an array to a function... you do this:

$myArray['assoc_keyone'] = " my first array elelemtn";
$myArray['assoc_keytwo'] = " my second array element";

function myFunction ($array) {
print ($array['assoc_keyone']);
print ($array['assoc_keytwo']);
}

[vitalyb]

What I am trying to do is to dynamically create an array property to an object by passing its string to a function.

I'll give a better example, that's what I need to do:

	$property = 'string_array';
	$object->$property[1] = 'Something';
	echo $object->string_array[1];

That should print 'Something' but it doesn't.

A working option would be to do:

	$property = 'string_array';
	$object->$property = array(1 => 'Something');
	echo $object->string_array[1];

That code works, but it overwrites the $object->string_array which I don't want to happen. I just want a new member added to it.

The only solution I found so far is to write it like that:

	$object->$property = array();
	$object->$property += array(1 => 'Something');
	$object->$property += array(2 => 'Something else');

echo $object->string_array[1];

And that's really what I am trying to do - Add a new item to an existing array which I access my name.

Do you have a better solution to this?

[laserlight]

A string isnt quite an array, in PHP.
For one thing, you should access an individual character using $str{$index}, not $str[$index]

[laserlight]

ok, let me see:
you want to write a function where a string, or an array, is passed as an argument.

This string should then become an array, or if it is an array, remain an array.

You then add elements to this array, treating it as an associative array.

A possible solution might be:

function myFunction(&$input) {
	if (!is_array($input)) {
		$input = array('1' => $input);
	}
	//now add an element to $input
	$input['2'] = 'hello'; 
}

[vitalyb]

Err... It doesn't seem to work, see here:

	$property = 'string_array';

$object->$property = array();
$object->$property += array(1 => 'Something');
$object->$property += array(2 => 'Something else');

echo $object->$property[1];

Even though it knows that $object->$property is an array and not string (if you watch it in a debugger you see that it recognizes it as an array and adds the items correctly). However the last line still tries to access $property as if it was a string and so fails with:
Notice: Undefined property: t in E:\My Documents\1 Internet\3 Offline sites\BookVotes\test.php on line 122.

[laserlight]

Try:

	$property = 'string_array';

$object->$property = array();
$object->$property[1] = 'Something';
$object->$property[2] = 'Something else';

echo $object->$property[1];

the problem with your code is that "+=" performs a mathematical addition.
You want to push a new element onto the array, not to add.

[yuraupt]

I didn't get well what you are trying to achieve, but you can add new element to an aaray like that:

$array[] = $new_member;

Hope it helps.

[laserlight]

hmmm... come to think of it, there may be an ambiguity problem.

in that case, perhaps:

	$property = 'string_array';

$object->$property = array();
{$object->$property}[1] = 'Something';
{$object->$property}[2] = 'Something else';

echo $object->$property[1];

will do the trick

[stolzyboy]

you could also use array_push(), this will push whatever you want onto the end of the array, keeping the whole array intact

[yuraupt]

I think I got what you are doing. Consider this example I made quickly.

class Object{
  var $string_array; 

  function Object(){
    $this->string_array = array('member one', 'member two');

  }
}

$object = new Object();

$property = 'string_array';


$object->{$property}[] = 'member three';
$object->{$property}[] = 'member four';

print_r($object->string_array);

It outputs the following:
Array ( [0] => member one [1] => member two [2] => member three [3] => member four )

[vitalyb]

I think I got what you are doing. Consider this example I made quickly.

Ah, that's exactly what I meant 🙂. Thanks.