note 112905 added to language.variables.variable

Returning values from a multidimensional array based using variable variables and infinite key depth I banged my head against this but could not find a way in language structure or in functions to retreive a value from a multidimensional array where the key path is known as a variable string. I considered some sort of recursive function, but it seemed cumbersome for what should be a one-liner. My solution uses eval() to return the array value: <?php $geolocation = array("ip"=>"127.0.0.1", "location" => array("city" => "Knoxville", "state_province" => "TN", "country" => "USA")); print_r($geolocation); // Array ( [ip] => 127.0.0.1 [location] => Array ( [city] => Knoxville [state_province] => TN [country] => USA ) ) // typical use of variable variables $key = "ip"; $result = $geolocation[$key]; print_r($result); // 127.0.0.1 $key = "location"; // another typical use of variable variables $result = $geolocation[$key]; print_r($result); // Array ( [city] => Knoxville [state_province] => TN [country] => USA ) // but how do we go deeper? this does NOT work $key = "location['city']"; // $result = $geolocation[$key]; // Notice: Undefined index: location['city'] // print_r($result); // this does NOT work $key = "['location']['city']"; // $result = $geolocation{$key}; // Notice: Undefined index: ['location'] ['city'] // print_r($result); // this works: $key = "['location']['city']"; $result = eval('echo $geolocation'."$key;"); print_r($result); // Knoxville ?> ---- Server IP: 69.147.83.199 Probable Submitter: 194.74.98.34 ---- Manual Page -- http://php.net/manual/en/language.variables.variable.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/112905 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/112905/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/112905/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/112905/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/112905/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/112905/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/112905/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/112905 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/112905 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php