PHP load txt file as an array

Question

I have a text file (id.txt) that looks like this:

Array
(
    [0] => 1
    [1] => 2
    [2] => 3
    [3] => 4
    [4] => 5
    [5] => 6
    [6] => 7
    [7] => 8
    [8] => 9
    [9] => 10
    [10] => 11
    [11] => 12
    [12] => 13
    [13] => 15
    [14] => 16
    [15] => 101
)

How can I load this text file as an array in PHP? I think I'd have to use file_get_contents() but I don't know how to use it and allow PHP to read it as an array.

Why do you have an array saved like that, you should save array to files with json_encode for example and then read with json_decode — Jompper, Dec 26 '13 at 17:33
try to store as json array. Then you can easily get back your actual array. — Kumar V, Dec 26 '13 at 17:35

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 26 '13 at 17:36

2

preg_match_all("/\[(\d+)\] => (\d+)/",file_get_contents('id.txt'), $matches);
var_dump($matches[2]);

answered Dec 26 '13 at 17:36

Jompper

1,412
9
15

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 26 '13 at 17:40

your answer for this question is probably something like what @Joni Salmi suggested.

But you really should store your array as a json string.

$jsonString = json_encode($my_array);
writeToFile($my_array);

/* then, to read: */
$storedJsonString = file_get_contents($file);
$myArray = json_decode($storedJsonString);

PHP load txt file as an array

2 Answers2