String variable

[point86]

Hi,

 

I have a string:

 

$query = $_GET['words'];

 

Where words are terms inputted by the user.

 

IE $query will be something like 'hello how are you'.

 

How do I get the system to search the string 'hello how are you' for SPACES (" ") and assign the number of spaces to a variable? EG in the string 'hello how are you', the number of spaces would be 3, and this would be assigned to eg $spaces.

 

Thanks

 

P86.

[effigy]

This includes all whitespace. If you only want spaces, change '\s' to ' '.

 

<pre>
<?php
$string = 'hello how are you';
$num_whitespace = 0;
preg_replace('/\s/', '', $string, -1, $num_whitespace);
echo $num_whitespace;
?>
</pre>

[Jessica]

http://us3.php.net/manual/en/function.substr-count.php

 

They don't want to replace them, just count them.

[effigy]

I didn't know that function existed. The "replace" isn't affecting anything though, it's being called in a void context. $string is never modified.

[Jessica]

Good point.

 

But yeah, I don't see any reason to use regexp here, since the built in function is likely faster or more efficient or something. Or I just want to be right

[boo_lolly]

if you're pulling the string using $_GET, then it's coming from the address bar (probably not the best idea)... anyway, the address bar will replace spaces with the '+' symbol. use preg_replace() to replace + with whitespace.

[hitman6003]

Or use urldecode....

 

http://www.php.net/urldecode

[point86]

Worked great, thanks!

 

P86.