Creating unique variable names in PHP

Question

I have a script which can be used multiple times per script, each instance of the script requires some php stuff to be done, I need to create a unique name for each instance variable e.g.

I need:

$typedbefore1 = get_post_meta( $text, '_cmb2_typed_text', true );
$typed1 = '"' . implode('","', $typedbefore1) . '"';

$typedbefore2 = get_post_meta( $text, '_cmb2_typed_text', true );
$typed2 = '"' . implode('","', $typedbefore2) . '"';

$typedbefore3 = get_post_meta( $text, '_cmb2_typed_text', true );
$typed3 = '"' . implode('","', $typedbefore3) . '"';

The variable $text is a number generated by the user so I can use that e.g.

$typedbefore.$text = get_post_meta( $text, '_cmb2_typed_text', true );
$typed.$text = '"' . implode('","', $typedbefore.$text) . '"';

That doesn't work (obviously), is there a way to do what I need?

Converted to arrays but my implode isn't working:

$typedbefore = array();
$typedbefore[$text] = get_post_meta( $text, '_cmb2_typed_text', true );
$typed = array();
$typed[$text] = '"' . implode('","', $typedbefore[$text]) . '"';

It's still storing the $typed as an array, how can I do the second part so it implodes the data from $typedbefore?

Why not make array for the values?

MightyPork
– MightyPork

2014-12-19 14:00:30 +00:00
Commented Dec 19, 2014 at 14:00 — MightyPork
– MightyPork, Commented Dec 19, 2014 at 14:00

MarcoS · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-19 15:01:38Z

2

You really should use arrays, as MightyPork suggested...:

$typedbefore = array();
$typedbefore[$text] = "value";

UPDATE: To answer OP last question: from here I see wordpress finction get_post_meta() returns array only if it's last parameter is false. But I see you use true, so it should return a single value. So you shouldn't use implode (which expects an array as 2nd parameter) with a single value. I don't really understand what's your definitive goal, so I can't give a more specific comment, sorry...

edited Dec 19, 2014 at 15:01

answered Dec 19, 2014 at 14:08

MarcoS

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2 Comments

Gareth Gillman Over a year ago

Added more to my question, it has helped with the text part but I can't get the data from $typedbefore to be imploded, as it's caught in 2 arrays

Gareth Gillman Over a year ago

Basically the post meta is an array of text strings which I am then printing into a peice of javascript which needs to be comma'd hence the implode.

vaso123 · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-19 14:05:03Z

1

You can use variable variables like:

$varname = "typedbefore".$text;
echo $$varname;

This is the same, if you say:

echo $typedbefore1 //If $text == 1

See here.

But much more better, if your are collecting your data into an array, and use that.

answered Dec 19, 2014 at 14:05

vaso123

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