Suggestions on reducing amount of code

[clonemaster]

I have six strings that go through the process of transforming into an array, sorting by case insensitive natural order, trimmed, converted to lower case, looped, printed out with each first-letter capitalized and a XHTML break added.

The problem is that I have to do it six different times; it becomes redundant. I've tried throwing the strings into a multidimensional array, but couldn't get it right. I'd like to stay away from creating functions, if at all possible, because of the extra memory requirements.

<?php
/////////////////////////////////////////////////
// These six strings are normally included     //
// through an external file, and are included  //
// here for reference.                         //
/////////////////////////////////////////////////

$dex_skills = "blaster, dodge, melee combat, melee parry, missile weapons, pick pocket";
$per_skills = "bargain, con, hide,search, sneak";
$kno_skills = "languages, streetwise, survival";
$str_skills = "climbing/jumping, stamina, swimming";
$mec_skills = "beast riding, ground vehicle operation, repulsorlift operation";
$tec_skills = "droid programming, droid repair, first aid, repulsorlift repair";

/////////////////////////////////////////////////
// The following blocks of code are identical  //
// with the exception of the variables they    //
// process.                                    //
/////////////////////////////////////////////////

################################################
// DEXTERITY SKILLS
$dex_array = explode(",", $dex_skills);
natcasesort($dex_array);
foreach ($dex_array as $dex_value) {
    $dex_value = trim(strtolower($dex_value));
    // PRINT SKILLS
    print ucwords(nl2br("$dex_value\n"));
}
#################################################
// PERCEPTION SKILLS
$per_array = explode(",", $per_skills);
natcasesort($per_array);
foreach ($per_array as $per_value) {
    $per_value = trim(strtolower($per_value));
    // PRINT SKILLS
    print ucwords(nl2br("$per_value\n"));
}
#################################################
// KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
$kno_array = explode(",", $kno_skills);
natcasesort($kno_array);
foreach ($kno_array as $kno_value) {
    $kno_value = trim(strtolower($kno_value));
    // PRINT SKILLS
    print ucwords(nl2br("$kno_value\n"));
}
#################################################
// STRENGTH SKILLS
$str_array = explode(",", $str_skills);
natcasesort($str_array);
foreach ($str_array as $str_value) {
    $str_value = trim(strtolower($str_value));
    // PRINT SKILLS
    print ucwords(nl2br("$str_value\n"));
}
#################################################
// MECHANICAL SKILLS
$mec_array = explode(",", $mec_skills);
natcasesort($mec_array);
foreach ($mec_array as $mec_value) {
    $mec_value = trim(strtolower($mec_value));
    // PRINT SKILLS
    print ucwords(nl2br("$mec_value\n"));
}
#################################################
// TECHNICAL SKILLS
$tec_array = explode(",", $tec_skills);
natcasesort($tec_array);
foreach ($tec_array as $tec_value) {
    $tec_value = trim(strtolower($tec_value));
    // PRINT SKILLS
    print ucwords(nl2br("$tec_value\n"));
}
#################################################
?>

Any ideas would be helpful 😃

[tsinka]

Hi,

try something like

<?PHP
/////////////////////////////////////////////////
// These six strings are normally included     //
// through an external file, and are included  //
// here for reference.                         //
/////////////////////////////////////////////////

$dex_skills = "blaster, dodge, melee combat, melee parry, missile weapons, pick pocket";
$per_skills = "bargain, con, hide,search, sneak";
$kno_skills = "languages, streetwise, survival";
$str_skills = "climbing/jumping, stamina, swimming";
$mec_skills = "beast riding, ground vehicle operation, repulsorlift operation";
$tec_skills = "droid programming, droid repair, first aid, repulsorlift repair";

// array of variable names
$arr_vars = array("dex_skills","per_skills","kno_skills",
                  "str_skills","mec_skills","tec_skills");

foreach($arr_vars as $var_name) {
  $arr = explode(",", ${$var_name});
  natcasesort($arr);
  foreach ($arr as $arr_value) {
    $arr_value = trim(strtolower($arr_value));
    // PRINT SKILLS
    print ucwords(nl2br("$arr_value\n"));
  }
}
?>

Thomas

[Installer]

I'd like to stay away from creating functions, if at all possible, because of the extra memory requirements.

You've piqued my curiosity. What are the "extra memory requirements"? How serious are they? Would you cite some documentation that I could read?

[clonemaster]

Originally posted by tsinka
try something like

<?PHP
// array of variable names
$arr_vars = array("dex_skills","per_skills","kno_skills",
                  "str_skills","mec_skills","tec_skills");

foreach ($arr_vars as $var_name) {
  $arr = explode(",", ${$var_name});
  natcasesort($arr);
  foreach ($arr as $arr_value) {
    $arr_value = trim(strtolower($arr_value));
    // PRINT SKILLS
    print ucwords(nl2br("$arr_value\n"));
  }
}
?>

[/B]

This is similar to what I experimented with, but just couldn't get it right. Maybe it's because I don't understand the concept of...

${$var_name}

Perhaps you could point me in the right direction to more info.

Thanks for your help.

[clonemaster]

Originally posted by Installer
You've piqued my curiosity. What are the "extra memory requirements"? How serious are they? Would you cite some documentation that I could read?

I can't seem to find any links for ya. Although both the books I have say, "User-defined functions add extra memory requirements to your PHP scripts."

PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickStart Guide (2nd Edition) http://www.dmcinsights.com/phpvqs2

PHP Advanced for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickPro Guide www.DMCInsights.com/phpadv

Maybe someone here can tell us where to look.

[tsinka]

Ok,

this is called "variable variables".

In short:

${"avar"} is the same as $avar. You can use that syntax to create variable names dynamically like e.g.

$avar1="1";
$avar2="2";
$avar3="3";

for ($i=1;$i<=3;$i++) {
  echo ${"avar".$i}."<br>\n";
}

But in most cases you would use a solution with arrays instead of the above code.

About memory usage of functions:

You can test yourself how the usage of functions affects memory usage with the function memory_get_usage.

Just use that variable inside a script just in front and after a function and do the same with code that does the same without using a function. Then substract the different pairs of memory usage values and check which one is greater.

EDIT: That function is only available if PHP has been compiled with --enable-memory-limit

Thomas