Easy question, return variable name

[Tom]

Is there a function to get a variable to return its name w/datatype of
string? i.e.:

$var would return "var"

[Josh]

string gettype ( mixed var )

this function will return the variable type in string format.

Thanks

Tom wrote:

Is there a function to get a variable to return its name w/datatype of
string? i.e.:

$var would return "var"

[Tom]

Sorry, I should have been more specific -- I need the actual name of
the variable itself, not its datatype. So, I need function that does
the following:

<?php

$myArray = array( );
$myVariable = "foobar";

echo some_function($ myArray); // should echo "myArray"
echo some_function($ myVariable); // should echo "myVariable "

?>

Josh wrote:

string gettype ( mixed var )

this function will return the variable type in string format.

Thanks

Tom wrote:

Is there a function to get a variable to return its name w/datatype of
string? i.e.:

$var would return "var"

[Heiko Richler]

Tom wrote:

Is there a function to get a variable to return its name w/datatype of
string? i.e.:

$var would return "var"

No there is no such function.

Usually the function will get the value of the given Variable in an
Activation Record. The value carries no information about its source.

If an value is passed as an reference there may be a lot of variables
referring to the same value. Which variables name would you like? When
your code is compiled the result may not carry any names for variables.

Generally there is no good reason why you should need such an function.
What would you like to do?

Heiko
--
http://portal.richler.de/ Namensportal zu Richler
http://www.richler.de/ Heiko Richler: Computer - Know How!
http://www.richler.info/ private Homepage

[NC]

Tom wrote:

>
Is there a function to get a variable to return its name

No, but you can get a list of all defined variables by calling
get_defined_var s():

http://www.php.net/manual/en/functio...fined-vars.php

Cheers,
NC

[Andy Hassall]

On 14 Dec 2006 13:17:01 -0800, "Tom" <bi****@gmail.c omwrote:

>Is there a function to get a variable to return its name w/datatype of
string? i.e.:

$var would return "var"

http://groups.google.co.uk/groups/se...o+the+Clown%22
(then run away from it, as it's not a sensible thing to do)

--
Andy Hassall :: an**@andyh.co.u k :: http://www.andyh.co.uk
http://www.andyhsoftware.co.uk/space :: disk and FTP usage analysis tool

[Rik]

Andy Hassall wrote:

On 14 Dec 2006 13:17:01 -0800, "Tom" <bi****@gmail.c omwrote:

>Is there a function to get a variable to return its name w/datatype
of
string? i.e.:

$var would return "var"

http://groups.google.co.uk/groups/se...o+the+Clown%22

(then run away from it, as it's not a sensible thing to do)

Hehehe, the horror! Very creative though.
--
Rik Wasmus

[=?UTF-8?B?SXbDoW4gU8OhbmNoZXogT3J0ZWdh?=]

Tom wrote:

Sorry, I should have been more specific -- I need the actual name of
the variable itself, not its datatype. So, I need function that does
the following:

<?php

$myArray = array( );
$myVariable = "foobar";

echo some_function($ myArray); // should echo "myArray"
echo some_function($ myVariable); // should echo "myVariable "

?>

No can do. Please have a in-depth look at the PHP manual,
chapter "References to variables".

I'll try to show you the inability to know the *name* of a variable. And,
please, before replying, do RTFM.

<?php

$a = "foobar";
$b =& $a;
$c =& $a;
$d =& $a;

unset($a);

echo some_function($ c); // WTF??

?>

Now, in your opinion, what should this return?? $b, $c and $d all point to
the same memory address, because of how references work. And the name $a,
which originated that memory address, does not exist. So, do we
return 'b', 'c' or 'd'??

--
----------------------------------
Iván Sánchez Ortega -ivansanchez-algarroba-escomposlinux-punto-org-

Razón #10 : Niegas vivamente la existencia de miles de dioses adorados por
otras religiones, pero te invade la ira cuando alguien niega la existencia
del tuyo.
-- Una de las jocosas, pero no por eso menos ciertas, Diez señales de
que eres un fundamentalista

[Tom]

Here's why I needed this "bobo" function:

I'm currently upgrading a website to use DB_DataObjects instead of the
DB class. However, it's a process that will take almost a month
because of the large number of scripts needing the update. In
addition, I need to keep legacy support for the DB class while I'm
upgrading, without creating any additional unnecessary database
connections.

I don't know the actual answer to this, but I always assumed creating
an extension of the DB_DataObject (i.e. class DataObject_MyTa ble
extends DB_DataObject) would create a separate connection. To get
around this, I was using a rather ugly hack to use the existing
connection from the legacy DB object:

<?php
$DB = DB::connect($ds n, $options);
$_DB_DATAOBJECT['CONNECTIONS']['DB'] =& $DB;
?>

That $_DB_DATAOBJECT array is set in the PEAR class definition in
DB/DataObject.php thru $GLOBALS, and it stores the name of the DB
object as a key. I was trying to write a function that would create
new DB_DataObjects for all existing DB classes without having to define
each one manually.

I've since given up though... I rather enjoyed the bobo_the_clown
function though -- very clever!

Iván Sánchez Ortega wrote:

Tom wrote:

Sorry, I should have been more specific -- I need the actual name of
the variable itself, not its datatype. So, I need function that does
the following:

<?php

$myArray = array( );
$myVariable = "foobar";

echo some_function($ myArray); // should echo "myArray"
echo some_function($ myVariable); // should echo "myVariable "

?>

No can do. Please have a in-depth look at the PHP manual,
chapter "References to variables".

I'll try to show you the inability to know the *name* of a variable. And,
please, before replying, do RTFM.

<?php

$a = "foobar";
$b =& $a;
$c =& $a;
$d =& $a;

unset($a);

echo some_function($ c); // WTF??

?>

Now, in your opinion, what should this return?? $b, $c and $d all point to
the same memory address, because of how references work. And the name $a,
which originated that memory address, does not exist. So, do we
return 'b', 'c' or 'd'??

--
----------------------------------
Iván Sánchez Ortega -ivansanchez-algarroba-escomposlinux-punto-org-

Razón #10 : Niegas vivamente la existencia de miles de dioses adorados por
otras religiones, pero te invade la ira cuando alguien niega la existencia
del tuyo.
-- Una de las jocosas, pero no por eso menos ciertas, Diez señales de
que eres un fundamentalista