Variable variable array

[joe92]

$word = 'numbers';
$numbers= array('1', '2', '3', '4');

echo $$word[0];

 

I expected the output to be '1'. It ended up being nothing...  :-\

 

Why does this not work? Is it not possible to have a variable variable array? And if not, is there a workaround?

 

Cheers,

Joe

[xyph]

The square brackets can also return a given character in a string.

<?php 

$word = 'numbers';

echo $word[0];

?>

will output 'n'

 

What you want to do is use curly braces to let PHP know that you want the $word variable isolated from the $ at the start, and the [0] at the end.

<?php 

$word = 'numbers';
$numbers= array('1', '2', '3', '4');

echo ${$word}[0];

?>

[joe92]

Works like a charm. Thank you xyph!