#47400 [Opn]: Variable variables don't work with "global" inside a function

ID: 47400 User updated by: php at richardneill dot org Reported By: php at richardneill dot org Status: Open Bug Type: Documentation problem PHP Version: Irrelevant New Comment: Thanks for your response. The thing is, I'm NOT accessing $eat2 via the $GLOBALS superglobals array. All I'm doing is using the "global" keyword to bring it into scope in *this* specific function. The note here: http://uk2.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.variable.php is indeed suggestive that there might be a problem (that's why I filed this as a probable documentation bug), but surely if it's $GLOBALS that can't be used with variable variables, it means that I just can't write: $$GLOBALS["eat2"] ? Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2009-02-16 04:31:02] preinheimer@php.net also: http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.variable.php Where could we have put this information to make it easier for you to find? (so as to help other developers in the future) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2009-02-16 04:24:59] preinheimer@php.net Does the third comment on this page address your concerns? http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.superglobals.php ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2009-02-16 04:20:27] php at richardneill dot org Description: ------------ Note sure whether this is an actual bug, or an omission from the documentation. Anyway, it doesn't seem to work when we use "global" to bring a variable into scope within a function, iff that variable name is itself a variable variable. The example below is the shortest possible demonstration of the problem I can create (sorry it looks very contrived). Thanks for your help. Reproduce code: --------------- <? $fruit = "apple"; $lunch = "fruit"; $eat1 = $$lunch; echo "Tasty: $eat1\n"; // apple, as expected function nom ($meal) { //$meal contains the string 'lunch' $eat2=$$meal; //$eat2 should be the variable $lunch global $eat2; //...which we bring into scope using "global" echo "Tasty: $eat2\n"; //Should give "apple", but doesn't. } nom ('lunch'); ?> Expected result: ---------------- Tasty: apple Tasty: apple Actual result: -------------- Tasty: apple Tasty: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=47400&edit=1