Re: echo returnArray()['a']; // workaround

Nathan Nobbe wrote:

On Thu, Feb 28, 2008 at 6:14 PM, Nathan Rixham <nrixham@gmail.com> wrote:

if I show you guys how to do this: echo sillyFunc()['a'] . PHP_EOL; using a few brackets and things do you promise not to laugh? *it's a bit weird*

id like to see it. -nathan

don't say I didn't warn ya fellow nathan! #!/usr/bin/php <?php function sillyFunc() { return array('a' => 1, 'b' => 2, 'c' => 3, 'd' => 4, 'e'=>'some string'); } echo !${~${''}='sillyFunc'}=&${''}().${~${''}}['e'] . PHP_EOL; --- output --- some string To make things a little weirder yet here's the var's lol: print_r(get_defined_vars());

    [] => sillyFunc
    [¹] => Array
        (
            [a] => 1
            [b] => 2
            [c] => 3
            [d] => 4
            [e] => some string
        )

to reference the var holding "string sillyFunc" (any of):

echo ${''};     echo ${NULL};     echo ${FALSE};

to reference our array [¹] (yeah it is called ¹) print_r(${~${''}}); here's a quick simplification + alternatives. echo (!$array = sillyFunc()),$array['e']; echo (!$array = sillyFunc()).$array['e']; and a useful ternary one: echo is_array($array = sillyFunc()) ? $array['e'] : ''; told you it was a bit weird [took me a couple hours to figure out]! nath :)