Create array from variable name

Question

Im trying to create an array from a variable name. I want to get the information from an sql table and hold that information in an array, however I get an error saying "cannot use [] for reading". Why?

<?php
// SQL Selection CurrentProduct Attributes
$sql = "SELECT * FROM $current_product_name";
$result = $conn->query($sql);
while($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
${current_product_name ._array[]} = $row; // add the row in to the array
}
${current_product_name ._length} = count({$current_product_name . _array});
?>

Álvaro González · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-21 17:49:45Z

1

Don't let the trees hide the forest:

$foo = []; // OK (create empty array with the PHP/5.4+ syntax)
$foo[] = 10; // OK (append item to array)
echo $foo[0]; // OK (read one item)
echo $foo[]; // Error (what could it possibly mean?)

The variable variables notation expects strings (either literals or variables):

$current_product_name = 'Jimmy';
${$current_product_name . '_array'}[] = 33;
var_dump($Jimmy_array);

array(1) {
  [0]=>
  int(33)
}

Said that, your approach looks like a terrific way to produce unmaintainable code. Why not an array with a known name?

$products[$current_product_name][] = $row;

answered Feb 21, 2017 at 17:49

Álvaro González

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1 Comment

Kaki Sami Over a year ago

Thank you! First for the answer and then for the suggestion!

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