[RESOLVED] str_replace two values

Shawazi

I want to make a function to highlight certain words in a text. I am unsure the most efficient way to replace "Word" and "word" to be highlighted. Is there a way to make str_replace do something like

str_replace(("Word" || "word"), "Highlighted Word", $text);

I'm doing this right now:

$search_string = substr($glos['word'], 0, 1);
		$search_string = "([".strtolower($search_string).strtoupper($search_string)."])";
		$search_string = $search_string.substr($glos['word'], 1);
		$text = ereg_replace($search_string, "[\\0]", $text);

NogDog

If using PHP 5:

str_ireplace("word", "Highlighted Word", $text);

...else use:

str_replace(array("Word", "word"), "Highlighted Word", $text);

bradgrafelman

Or else use:

preg_replace('/word/i', 'Highlighted Word', $text);

Shawazi

I just noticed this server is 4.3 so I can't use ireplace sadly. The preg_replace works though. Although I believe I'm gonna get this server upgraded ASAP. Meanwhile php.net says:

you should generally use [str_ireplace] instead of eregi_replace() or preg_replace() with the i modifier.

bradgrafelman

Right, because the preg_ functions use regular expression parser and thus use a tad bit more horsepower than a straight string replace function does.

But, for stubborn people like me who still work with PHP4, it's not that much of a performance hit that I need to worry about it.

Shawazi

Yeah I generally stick to 4, but I think I'll have to eventually use the new function since this one will be used on hundreds of articles on many words.

NogDog

str_ireplace() is nominally faster than preg_replace(), but for something that simple the difference is so small that for 99.999% of the applications where you might use it, it wouldn't be an issue.