note 87740 added to function.array-count-values

This doesn't seem to be documented, but it appears that array_count_values will write its key values *back* to corresponding values in the argument array. For example, say I have an array $id_numbers, consisting of 7 digits which contain leading zeros (so number 1 would be 0000001 and so on). Most probably already know that array_count_values will (lamely, IMO) strip the leading zeros and return the key as a number. So if $id_numbers[0] = 0056789 $id_numbers[1] = 0012345 $id_numbers[2] = 0012345 then $id_counts = array_count_values($id_numbers) will yield $id_counts[56789] = 1 $id_counts[12345] = 2 That's not the weird part yet. If you dump $id_numbers you get an interesting result: $id_numbers[0] = 56789 $id_numbers[1] = 12345 $id_numbers[2] = 12345 Obviously quite nasty, if you aren't careful. The way to prevent this is to encapsulate the argument array in the array_values() function: $id_counts = array_count_values(array_values($id_numbers)) You'll still have the nagging problem that your $id_counts keys are still technically incorrect, but depending on your program or incoming data, a sprintf() should rectify the stripping of zeros (i.e. you basically have to make the array_count_values result a "temporary" array, then loop through that, restore the zeros and populate a new "real" array with correct keys) ---- Server IP: 208.69.120.35 Probable Submitter: 128.114.64.10 ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.array-count-values.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/87740 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/87740/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/87740/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/87740/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/87740/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/87740/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/87740/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/87740 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/87740 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php