print php variable in PHP-readable form

Question

I have a need to print a complex PHP variable that can be pasted into code directly. print_r doesn't do it as when I use it, I get something like this:

Array
(
    [cost] => 218.16
    [discount] => Array(...)
    [description] => Cost Not Included
    [quantity] => 1
)

which cannot be immediately pasted into PHP code. I instead need something like so (with commas added, brackets changes to ampersands, etc)

array
(
    'cost' => '218.16',
    'discount' => array(...),
    'description' => 'Cost Not Included',
    'quantity' => 1,
),

How?

Currently I do it manually in my text editing program...

possible duplicate of [Create array printed with print\_r](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7025909/create-array-printed-with-print-r) — Rizier123, Jan 20 '15 at 15:09
linked question convert output of `print_r` into PHP readable form. Similar in a roundabout way, but not the same as printing out an array in PHP readable form as the first step. — Dennis, Jan 20 '15 at 15:15

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 20 '15 at 15:09

4

Try :

var_export( $array );

It will print it.
Or if you want it in a string, then:

var_export($array, true);

answered Jan 20 '15 at 15:09

Oleg Dubas

2,320
1
10
24

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:24

1

You can achieve that by using the var_export function as described from this post.

edited May 23 '17 at 10:24

Community

1
1

answered Jan 20 '15 at 15:08

ultrajohn

2,527
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print php variable in PHP-readable form

2 Answers2