Variables in array name?

[sprntrcr]

Hi folks,

 

Amateur coder here in need of some help.

 

Background:  I have a dozen sensors that get recorded in a database.  The sensors are not very reliable,  so to smooth out the data to graph,  I compare the reading to the previous reading and if they differ by a given delta I replace the reading by the previous reading (smooth out spikes).  The data for each sensor is loaded into arrays that are names according to sensor numbers (ie sensor one - $sensor1,  sensor 6 - $sensor6).   I have go through and do the comparison on each array and just repeat the code a dozen times,  but I'd like to simplify the amount of code if possible.   I'm not sure how to refer to an array by using a variable.

Here is a simplified example of what I would like to do. The issue comes with - $array($i)[$x]

 

Hope this makes sense of what I'm tring to do.  Any guidence would be greatly appreciated.  Trying to become a better programmer than just repeating the same piece of code a dozen times..

<?php

//define arrays of data
    $array1 = array (7,8,9,10,11,12);
    $array4 = array (13,14,15,16,17,18);
    $array6 = array (1,2,3,4,5,6);

//define array of sensors  
    $sensors = array(1, 4, 6);

//loop through each data point of each array
    foreach ($sensors as $i) {
        for ($x = 0; $x <= 6; $x++) {
        echo $array($i)[$x];
        } 
    }

?>

[ginerjm]

I think you are looking for 'variable variables'.  Check the manual out here:  http://php.net/manual/en/language.variables.variable.php

[mac_gyver]

you would just make your series of numbered variables into an array with an index being the sensor number - 

$array[1] = array (7,8,9,10,11,12);
$array[4] = array (13,14,15,16,17,18);
$array[6] = array (1,2,3,4,5,6);

your echo statement, inside the looping code, would simply be - 

echo $array[$i][$x];

or you could simply loop over the data directly using foreach($array as $sub_array){...}

[sprntrcr]

Thanks,  I was pulling my hair out trying to figure it out, and you guys set me straight and now I have it working.......