A variable as part of the name of a variable in PHP

Question

Here are the variables:

$fake= 'cool';
$fake1 = 'not cool';
$hope= '1';

The idea is to combine $fake and the $hope to create the variable $fake1. The idea is that if the $hope variable was randomized it could generate a random variable: $fake1, $fake2, $fake3, etc. Right now I either get an error or just the values of $fake and $hope next to each other not the new variable.

How exactly do you expect to get from 'cool' and '1' to $fake1? — lanzz
– lanzz, Commented Oct 10, 2012 at 20:58
Generating random variable names does not sound like a good idea. I would recommend an array and array_rand(). — Matt S
– Matt S, Commented Oct 10, 2012 at 20:59
Yes, noobs inquiring about var varnames usually means they skipped the chapter on arrays. — mario
– mario, Commented Oct 10, 2012 at 21:09

Brendan Long · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-10 20:59:10Z

3

You should use an "array" for this:

$list = array('cool', 'not cool');
$random_item = array_rand($list);

Using variable-named variables is always messy and this is exactly what arrays are for.

answered Oct 10, 2012 at 20:59

Brendan Long

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DaOgre · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-10 21:03:51Z

1

Ben's comment above does probably exactly what you're looking for, but if you're in PHP5 you can also do something like:

 $varname = $fake . $hope;
 $$varname = "horray";

answered Oct 10, 2012 at 21:03

DaOgre

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4 Comments

DaOgre Over a year ago

The OP asked how to have a variable as part of a variable name. I agree, arrays are better.

iicaptain Over a year ago

Solved it using DaOgre's solution modified. code $varname = "fake" . $hope; echo $$varname; code Thanks everyone for your help. I really appreciate it.

Sven Over a year ago

Variable variables are the direct way to hell. Use arrays.

Brendan Long Over a year ago

@user1736174 Seriously, you don't want to do this. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Baba · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-10 21:57:14Z

1

You can try

$fake = array(
        "fake1" => "Cool",
        "fake2" => "Bad",
        "fake3" => "Fish",
        "fake4" => "Next",
        "fake5" => "Wow");

list($a, $b) = array_rand($fake, 2);
echo $fake[$a] . " " . $fake[$b]; // This would always change

answered Oct 10, 2012 at 21:57

Baba

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