[Resolved] [Resolved] Substituting short VAR for long name

[zzz]

Hi,

This is probably in every book, but I'm blank here.

I'd like to use an ISO two-letter code for country drop-down menu to store in my db, but show actual full name on a page.

E.g. US ==>> United States of America

I'll put code in value:

<option value="US">United States</option> and I assume I'll create a separate file with all names that will include something like this:

$US = "United States";

What I'm not sure about is how to call that list to replace abbreviation with full-name. I think it's the same way languages are done for translating site, but I've never done it myself...

[LordShryku]

Try an array instead;

$contries = array("US" => "United States", "CA" => "Canada");

/* So they select US */
$cnt = "US";
/* Echo full name */
echo $contries[$cnt];

[zzz]

That will probably do, but the array is going to be HUGE though...

[LordShryku]

The file would be huge anyway. Arrays are much better than creating hundreds(thousands?) of seperate variables.

[zzz]

I agree, but I was planning to use this include file with VARS with multiple pages.

[LordShryku]

You can include the file with the array...

Anyway, if you insist on multiple variables, you can use variable variables.

/* included */
$US = "United States";


/* Their selection */
$sel = "US";
echo ${$sel};

[zzz]

Ahhhh! I think this is closer to what I envisioned.