note 113497 added to language.variables.variable

Sometimes you might wish to modify value of an existing variable by its name. This is easily accomplishable with a combination of using "passing by reference" and "variable variables". $first_var = 1; $second_var = 2; $third_var = 3; $which_one = array_rand('first', 'second', 'third'); //Let's consider the result is "second". $modifier = $$which_one; //Now $modifier has value 2. $modifier++; //Now $modifier's value is 3. echo $second_var; //Prints out 2 //Consider we wish to modify the value of $second_var $modifier = &$$which_one; //Simply passing by reference $modifier++; //Now value of $second_var is 3 too. echo $second_var; //Prints out 3 It's that simple! ---- Server IP: 69.147.83.199 Probable Submitter: 188.119.54.178 ---- Manual Page -- http://php.net/manual/en/language.variables.variable.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/113497 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/113497/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/113497/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/113497/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/113497/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/113497/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/113497/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/113497 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/113497 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php