Turning words in string into individual variables

[bugboy]

I have a comma delineated string from an html form:

"wind, sun, ocean, lake"

i can use explode to turn it into an array but what i want to do is take each word and assign it to it's own variable (The number of words in the string may change), to end up with this:

$word1 == 'wind'
$word2 == 'sun'
$word3 == 'ocean'
$word4 == 'lake'

The reason is that I want to be able to put each variable into a single mysql query that cross references all the words at once.

Thanks!

[Lumpy]

Could use just put all the words into an array, then just count how many values you have in the array and use each one as you need it? You know what I mean, that is almost what you are doing with $word1, $word2 and so on. Put everything into the $word array and then use count() to see how many you have and then call each one with something like $word[$c].

[pbmods]

Heya, bugboy.

Combine explode() with extract().

[bugboy]

cool.. Thanks guys!

I've been reading up on extract() and i think i understand what is happening.. but.. what is a "local symbol table"?

[pbmods]

Heya, bugboy.

A symbol is a variable, function or class name.

In other words, when you use a variable, function or class:

echo $someVar;
 

PHP looks up the symbol ('$someVar') in its table of existing symbols to find the [location in memory of the] value of the variable with that name.

If the symbol hasn't been defined yet, PHP throws an error of E_NOTICE severity.

There are multiple symbol tables; each represents a scope. For example:

$global = 'not available to example()';
 
function example( $var1 , $var2 )
{
    $var3 = ' some value ';
 
    return $var1 . $var3 . $var2;
}
 

example()'s symbol table contains $var1, $var2 and $var3, but not $global.
Meanwhile, the global symbol table contains $global, but not $var1, $var2 nor $var3.

Note that this only applies to variables; functions and classes are always available anywhere after they've been defined.

[bugboy]

Wow, thanks pbmods!

So the 'global symbol table' is available to the whole page and a super global is available across multiple pages?

Can i add a value to the superglobal(?) symbol table that has a multi page scope without a form submit?

[pbmods]

Heya, bugboy.

Not quite. Both superglobals and globals are available to the global scope of every script for a given page load. The difference is that superglobals can be used anywhere, whereas globals are only available in the global scope or by using the $GLOBALS superglobal (or the global keyword).

Here are a couple of examples:

$_SESSION is a superglobal:

echo $_SESSION['key'];    // Works
 
function doSomething()
{
    echo $_SESSION['key'];    // Also works.
}
 

On the other hand, $someVar is just a regular global:

$someVar = 5;
 
echo $someVar;    // Works
 
function dontDoAnything()
{
    echo $someVar;    // Doesn't work.
}
 
function doSomething()
{
    global $someVar;
 
    echo $someVar;    // Works.
}
 
function doSomethingElse()
{
    echo $GLOBALS['someVar'];    // Works; note that $GLOBALS is a superglobal.
}
 
function orYouCouldDoThis()
{
    $someVar =& $GLOBALS['someVar'];    // Note that this is identical to "global $someVar;"
 
    echo $someVar;    // Works.
}
 

[bugboy]

Thanks pbmods, i really appreciate all your help and explanations. It helps immensely with not only what to do but why.

BugBoy