Better way to print out data from only the first index in an array full of objects?

Question

Option 1:

$foo = array($obj1, $obj2, $obj3);
for ($i = 0; $i < 1; $i++) {
    echo $foo[$i]->attribute;
    echo $foo[$i]->attribute2;
}
//shows obj1's attribute and attribute2

Option 2:

$foo = array($obj1, $obj2, $obj3);
$first_foo = array_shift($foo); /* now we only have the first index in the new array */
foreach ($first_foo as $object) {
    echo $object->attribute;
    echo $object->attribute2;
}
//shows obj1's attribute and attribute2

Option 3:

$foo = array($obj1, $obj2, $obj3);
$first_foo = $foo[0] /* now we just have an object, obj1 */
echo $first_foo->attribute;
echo $first_foo->attribute2;
//shows obj1's attribute and attribute2

I used Option 3, but all of these feel kinda lacking... how would you do this? Is the loop in options 1 and 2 worth it if you feel like easily pulling the first two instead of one later on? I.e. pulling the latest news article vs. pulling the latest two etc.

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered May 10 '13 at 08:39

2

Why so complicated?

Loops, array_shift(), ... it's all not neccessary.

You gave the solution yourself:

$foo[0]->attribute

Another one would be

reset($foo)->attribute

On your edit:

If you want to write the code so it is flexible later, do

$need = 1; // the variable number of elements you need
for($i = 0; $i < $need; $i++)
    echo $foo[$i]->attribute;

answered May 10 '13 at 08:39

Lukas

1,479
8
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The extra complexity was because I was thinking it might be convenient if say, later on you wanted to pull 2 or 3 off the front. The extra complexity allows a little more robustness.. but at what cost? I edited the question a bit. Solid answer obviously. – wnajar May 10 '13 at 08:40
Added a simplistic `for` loop to fit your needs. – Lukas May 10 '13 at 08:43
I guess that's where the trouble is. Does this mean the `for` loop is really the best way to do it? I would have thought no... but Option 3, like the option you wrote seems somewhat 'hardcoded'. – wnajar May 10 '13 at 08:45
1

`array_shift()` on the other hand would return an array containing only one element (effectively useless), and has to be in a loop itself. `foreach` is a really complicated mechanism (AFAIK more complex than `while` and `for`) - see [here](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10057671/how-foreach-actually-works). – Lukas May 10 '13 at 08:47
I think `for` literally is the best way to do it here.. would not have thought... – wnajar May 10 '13 at 08:53

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered May 10 '13 at 08:37

1

The two iterations aren't needed in this case. I would just take your option #3 with a little less code.

$foo = array($obj1, $obj2, $obj3);
echo $foo[0]->attribute;
echo $foo[0]->attribute2;

answered May 10 '13 at 08:37

Wurstbro

974
1
9
21

Well it isn't. @OP in this case I guess you'll have to loop with foreach. – Wurstbro May 10 '13 at 08:42

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered May 10 '13 at 08:38

1

assuming:

$b = [0,1];
$c = [2,3];

let:

$a = [$b,$c];

$first_elem = array_shift($a);

print_r($first_elem);

answered May 10 '13 at 08:38

jancha

4,916
1
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39

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered May 10 '13 at 08:38

This is to get more than 1 from array_shift which returns null after array is empty

$foo = array($obj1, $obj2, $obj3);
while($obj = array_shift($foo))
   echo $obj->attribute;

your option 2 can be changed to

$foo = array($obj1, $obj2, $obj3);
foreach ($foo as $object) {
    echo $object->attribute;
    echo $object->attribute2;
}

why don't use use it that way?

Better way to print out data from only the first index in an array full of objects?

4 Answers4