Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript?

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From	Richard Damon <news.x.richarddamon@xoxy.net>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.php
Subject	Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript?
Date	Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:26:09 -0400
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On 8/28/11 4:57 PM, eBob.com wrote:
>
> "Chuck Anderson" <cycletourist@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
> news:j3e62a$p8k$1@dont-email.me...
>> eBob.com wrote:
>>> I am working with some csv files. To make the program more
>>> maintainable and more self-documenting I "define" values to use as
>>> subscripts; e.g. ...
>>>
>>> define('SS2KEY',0);
>>>
>>> BUT, whereas this produces what I expected ...
>>>
>>> echo "we have a match - key: $file2cols[0]\n";
>>>
>>> ... this does not ...
>>>
>>> echo "we have a match - key: $file2cols[SS2KEY]\n";
>>>
>>> I see the other text but no value is substitited for $file2cols[SS2KEY]
>>>
>>> I've wasted so much time on this. Why can't I define constants to use
>>> as subscripts?
>>>
>>> Thanks, Bob
>>
>> Php does not look for constants within double quotes.
>>
>> http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.types.array.php
>> (Look for "Array do's and don'ts" - scroll down a wee bit for examples)
>>
>> --
>> *****************************
>> Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
>> http://cycletourist.com
>> Turn Off, Tune Out, Drop In
>> *****************************
>
> OUCH!!!!!!! But thanks! Now if I can only remember this "feature".
>
> Thanks, Bob

To understand why it is this way, just think about this program:

define('Hello', 'Goodbye cruel');
echo "Hello World";

Just looking at the echo statement, you should know what is printed, and 
not need to scan the whole program to make sure nothing is going to 
change your string.

if you see

echo "Hello $name";

the $ make it clear that the following will be substituted so there is 
no surprise (if you know the language rules).

Thread

Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript? "eBob.com" <eBob.com@totallybogus.com> - 2011-08-28 15:18 -0400
  Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript?  PS "eBob.com" <eBob.com@totallybogus.com> - 2011-08-28 15:36 -0400
    Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript?  PS Norman Peelman <npeelman@cfl.rr.com> - 2011-08-28 15:53 -0400
    Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript?  PS "Álvaro G. Vicario" <alvaro.NOSPAMTHANX@demogracia.com.invalid> - 2011-08-29 13:43 +0200
  Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript? Denis McMahon <denis.m.f.mcmahon@gmail.com> - 2011-08-28 19:43 +0000
  Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript? Chuck Anderson <cycletourist@invalid.invalid> - 2011-08-28 13:48 -0600
    Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript? "eBob.com" <eBob.com@totallybogus.com> - 2011-08-28 16:57 -0400
      Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript? Richard Damon <news.x.richarddamon@xoxy.net> - 2011-08-28 20:26 -0400
  Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript? "Peter H. Coffin" <hellsop@ninehells.com> - 2011-08-28 15:02 -0500
  Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript? A.Reader <anonymously@example.com> - 2011-08-30 09:55 -0400
    Re: Why Can't I "define" a Value for a Subscript? Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2011-08-30 11:09 -0400

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