using integers as array keys

In PHP, I always find myself trying to create hashes with integer keys, only to rediscover that using an integer index in a PHP associative array is essentially meaningless. Common example: a query returns a list of integers which are keys into the database table. I want to simply stuff those integers into a hash and not worry about the fact that PHP uses this combination hash/array concept. $myarray = array(); $myarray[567] = 1; $myarray[31416] = 1; // $myarray[0] already isset() ! // $myarray[1] already isset()! // ... time passes // is $myarray[27] set? // who knows? I could so something wasteful and do $array['my_id_'. $id] = 1, but that would be silly. Is there a way to get associative arrays more like Perl? Is there any alternative? Thanks, -- // Alex@PanoramaPoint.com // Programmer, Panorama Point web development // New Mexico, USA // 505-424-4800x35