How to print the name of a variable and a array?

Question

Possible Duplicate:
How to get a variable name as a string in PHP?

I'm needding something similar to the code below:

code

<?php

$var1='my var 1';

$array1['1']='first position of my array 1';
$array1['2']='second position of my array 1';

echo name($var1);

echo "<br>";

echo name($array1);

function name($parameter){
...?...
}
?>

screen return

var1
array1

So, I need to write a function that gives me the name of a variable or an array that I pass to it. How can I perform this?

I will use this function on another function to perform some tasks to me...

This links only works for variables, not arrays. With arrays crashes. — GarouDan, Sep 28 '12 at 19:27
@GarouDan Please provide an example where you would need `echo name($array1)` and `echo 'array1'` won't do. — lanzz, Sep 28 '12 at 19:28
you may want to try: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/255312/how-to-get-a-variable-name-as-a-string-in-php — MagePal Extensions, Sep 28 '12 at 19:31
Could you explain why you're trying to do this? It seems like a bad idea to be dynamically getting variables unless there's soem really specific reason. — dudewad, Sep 28 '12 at 19:31
@lanzz, a use for this is I'm writing my own debugger file or class. I will include this independent file on the system that I'm working. So I would like something similar to legible($variable), that outputs an array or a variable with his name, a good format and then exit. I'm justing needing fix the arrays part with a good way. — GarouDan, Sep 28 '12 at 19:32
Check the other answer on the duplicate link, not just the accepted one. One of them points to [this solution](http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.php#49997), which might work for you. — bfavaretto, Sep 28 '12 at 19:34
That won't be possible the way you think about it. Figuring the name of the variable that has been passed to a function is like figuring the text on the label of a bottle by examining the contents of the glass it has been poured into. — lanzz, Sep 28 '12 at 19:35
lol. The truth it is possible. But looks like with no easy way. — GarouDan, Sep 28 '12 at 19:37
This might be useful for what you're doing: http://php.net/manual/en/function.debug-backtrace.php — bfavaretto, Sep 28 '12 at 19:43
Bad design smell coming - use [`debug_backtrace`](http://php.net/manual/en/function.debug-backtrace.php) for debugging. — moonwave99, Sep 28 '12 at 19:47
huhuh. Looks like an interesting function. I will do some code with it. Thx. — GarouDan, Sep 28 '12 at 19:50

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 28 '12 at 19:44

As @bfavaretto said,

this worked fine to me:

<?php

$var1='my var 1';

$array1['1']='first position of my array 1';
$array1['2']='second position of my array 1';

echo name($var1);

echo "<br>";

echo name($array1);

function name(&$var, $scope=false, $prefix='unique', $suffix='value'){
    if($scope) $vals = $scope;
    else      $vals = $GLOBALS;
    $old = $var;
    $var = $new = $prefix.rand().$suffix;
    $vname = FALSE;
    foreach($vals as $key => $val) {
      if($val === $new) $vname = $key;
    }
    $var = $old;
    return $vname;
}
?>

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 28 '12 at 19:41

0

try modifying the function in the following way (untested)

function print_var_name($var) { 
    $left=var_export($var, true);
    foreach($GLOBALS as $var_name => $value) { 
        $right=var_export($value, true);
        if ($left === $right) { 
             return $var_name; 
        } 
    } 
    return false; 
}

answered Sep 28 '12 at 19:41

Dave

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note that you are dumping the contents of both arrays in this case and comparing the results. – Dave Sep 28 '12 at 19:42
a big risk of this is if you have two variables with the same value, you could get returned the wrong one, so accuracy is a *real* issues, but I think this is as close as you are going to get to what you are trying for. – Dave Sep 28 '12 at 19:44

How to print the name of a variable and a array?

2 Answers2