function to get array name

[nikosliapis]

Hello everyone

Let's say that i have a function that does something to a given array:

 

function any_name($array) {

    do something....

}

 

What i want is a way to "get" the name of the array and echo it out.

For example if i use the function as:

echo $var = any_name($example1);    The output to be: $example1

or

echo $var = any_name($example2);    The output to be: $example2

 

Thank you very much for your time.

[trq]

Why would you need to know what your variable is named?

[nikosliapis]

"trq" thank you for your interest.

The "Whole story" is that i'm working on a function that will display a 2-dimension array into a table, so that it would be easy for me to debug any code i write.

I need the name of the given array so that i can output it as a title for the generated table.

[DarkKnight2011]

I would suggest that you use an associative array, ie.

$arr = array(
    'value1' => 1,
    'value2' => 2
);

echo $arr['value1'];

// outputs 1

or given your latest comment...

$arr = array(
    'tableName' => 'Table1',
    'tableData => array(
        'value1' => 1
     )
);

Edited May 7, 2013 by DarkKnight2011

[nikosliapis]

"darkknight" thank you for your answer but I trully can't understand how it will help me to what I'm looking for.Perhaps if you would explain it to me.

[requinix]

It helps because what you're literally asking for is impossible. You need to find another way - like with an associative array.

[akphidelt2007]

You can add the variable name to the function...

 

Like

 

 

function any_name($example1,'example1') {}

[AbraCadaver]

Along the same lines:

 

$test_array = range(1,10);

test(compact('test_array'));

function test($arg) {
   $name = key($arg);
   $array = $arg[$name];

   echo $name;
   print_r($array);
}

 

[nikosliapis]

Thank you all for your answers.

"requinix" you trully "clean things up", so i'll just go along the solution "akphidedelt2007" proposed.

Again thank you all.