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Re: Using count() as an array index

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On 06/18/2012 03:46 AM, Arno Welzel wrote:
> Jerry Stuckle, 16.06.2012 20:44:
>
>> On 6/16/2012 1:56 PM, Martin Leese wrote:
>>> Chuck Anderson wrote:
>>>
>>>> You can not use a function call within a quoted string.
>>>>
>>>> You should use:
>>>>
>>>> echo $anArray[count($array)] . "\n";
>>>
>>> Thank you. I actually understood this
>>> explanation.
>>>
>>
>> Actually, you can easily use a function call within a quoted string, but
>> since it is not a simple variable, you need to use curly braces, i.e.
>>
>> <?php
>>      $anArray[1] = "This is element one";
>>      $anArray[2] = "This is element two";
>>      $anArray[3] = "This is the last element";
>>      echo "{$anArray[count($anArray)]}\n";
>> ?>
>>
>> prints "This is the last element" (without the quotes, of course).
>
> Please compare:
>
> $anArray[count($array)] . "\n";
>
> "{$anArray[count($anArray)]}\n";
>
> You see the difference? Your suggestion is longer (even whitespaces
> which can me omitted) and totally unreadable for people you are not
> familiar with this.
>

   People that aren't familiar with this are mostly people that simply 
jump in to PHP without reading much documentation. Which is possible but 
people should end up reading at one of the PHP mirrors at some point. In 
this case:

http://us.php.net/manual/en/language.types.string.php

...which explains all the different ways and reasons why.

>> Be aware, though - the typical array in PHP starts counting at 0, not 1.
>>   So an array of 3 elements would be numbered 0, 1 and 2.  In this case,
>> an element with an index of 3 (count($anArray)) is not set (and will
>> give a warning if you try to use it).
>
> ACK.
>
>> You need to get used to this idea; it's used throughout PHP.
>
> Just because something is possible does not mean you have to use it ;-)
> Curly braces should only be used for code blocks and not to replace
> string concatenation.
>

   It's a little more than possible... it was designed this way. It's 
not a replacement for string concatenation, it is used (in this context) 
for variable expansion within strings. If you don't want to use curly 
brace syntax, then do it the long way, it's your choice. Me personally, 
I find curly brace syntax much more readable than alot of '.'s and '/' 
escapes like alot of people use.



-- 
Norman
Registered Linux user #461062
-Have you been to www.php.net yet?-

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Thread

Using count() as an array index Martin Leese <please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID> - 2012-06-15 12:51 -0600
  Re: Using count() as an array index Gregor Kofler <usenet@gregorkofler.com> - 2012-06-15 21:04 +0200
  Re: Using count() as an array index Denis McMahon <denismfmcmahon@gmail.com> - 2012-06-15 21:38 +0000
  Re: Using count() as an array index Chuck Anderson <cycletourist@invalid.invalid> - 2012-06-15 15:44 -0600
    Re: Using count() as an array index Martin Leese <please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID> - 2012-06-16 11:56 -0600
      Re: Using count() as an array index Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2012-06-16 14:44 -0400
        Re: Using count() as an array index Scott Johnson <noonehome@chalupasworld.com> - 2012-06-16 14:43 -0700
        Re: Using count() as an array index Martin Leese <please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID> - 2012-06-17 07:57 -0600
          Re: Using count() as an array index Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2012-06-17 10:27 -0400
            Re: Using count() as an array index Martin Leese <please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID> - 2012-06-18 08:46 -0600
              Re: Using count() as an array index Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2012-06-18 13:38 -0400
                Re: Using count() as an array index Martin Leese <please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID> - 2012-06-19 09:03 -0600
                Re: Using count() as an array index Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2012-06-19 11:27 -0400
        Re: Using count() as an array index Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> - 2012-06-18 09:46 +0200
          Re: Using count() as an array index Norman Peelman <npeelmandog@cfl.rr.com> - 2012-06-18 06:32 -0400
            Re: Using count() as an array index The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2012-06-18 12:24 +0100
            Re: Using count() as an array index Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> - 2012-06-18 19:43 +0200
              Re: Using count() as an array index "M. Strobel" <sorry_no_mail_here@nowhere.dee> - 2012-06-19 09:31 +0200
          Re: Using count() as an array index Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2012-06-18 08:43 -0400
        Re: Using count() as an array index Christoph Becker <cmbecker69@gmx.de> - 2012-06-19 13:24 +0200
          Re: Using count() as an array index Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2012-06-19 07:39 -0400
            Re: Using count() as an array index Christoph Becker <cmbecker69@gmx.de> - 2012-06-19 15:04 +0200
          Re: Using count() as an array index Martin Leese <please@see.Web.for.e-mail.INVALID> - 2012-06-19 09:14 -0600

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