variables within variables - question

Im having a VERY hard time trying to explain this.... Here is a bit of my code... for ($i = 0; $i < $num_fields; $i++) { $field = mysql_field_name($result, $i); $field2 = "<".$field; $output = str_replace($field2, $field), $output); } The problem I'm having here is that the variable $field contains a string (a name of one of my fields in my table). I need for the variable $field to actually point to the another variable, not just contain the string. This little loop here is supposed to go through a RTF file and replace all the $field2 it finds with $field. Am I making sense? THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!