PHP variables to array

Question

I often see or have to convert a bunch of variables into an array like this:

$array = array("description"=>$description, "title"=>$title, "page"=>$page, "author"=>$author);

Basically, all array keys match the name of the variable that is being passed in. Is there a way to reference a variable name so that it can be passed into the array like so:

$array[varName($description)] = $description;

Seems like this is the wrong approach. If the values have already been saved to variables, that seems to imply you had the opportunity to store them as array keys in the first place?? — Michael Berkowski, Mar 17 '13 at 13:22

score 11 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 17 '13 at 13:27

11

You could use compact ^[docs]:

$array = compact('description', 'title', 'page', 'author');

Each argument is a variable name and it will create an array with the key being the name and the value being the value of the variable with that name.

It's the other way round than your approach though.

answered Mar 17 '13 at 13:27

Felix Kling

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+1 Never heard of `compact` before – Tchoupi Mar 17 '13 at 13:30
+1 @MathieuImbert Me neither - but can't help thinking it seems a bit "hackish"? – Emissary Mar 17 '13 at 13:32
Never heard of compact, +1! – StackOverflowed Mar 17 '13 at 13:36
@Emissary, if you think this is hackish, I'd avoid most of PHP! :) (not disagreeing with your assessment however). – StackOverflowed Mar 17 '13 at 13:38
@StackOverflowed Disagree! you can't blame the language for how people are using it :) `compact` to me seems like one of them legacy functions that you should never need if you stick to conventional coding practices? – Emissary Mar 17 '13 at 13:45
@Emissary Perhaps, but then you're talking about a language that JUST added "goto" statements. Seriously. http://php.net/manual/en/control-structures.goto.php – StackOverflowed Mar 17 '13 at 13:53
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@StackOverflowed I can't fault you there - if I ever catch one of my subordinates using that I'll be telling them where they can goto... – Emissary Mar 17 '13 at 13:58

PHP variables to array

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