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up vote 0 down vote favorite

I'm new to PHP and could not find a proper answer to this.

$whatever = "array('Test','Blah')";
echo $parsed[2]; //This will be "Blah"

I want to create a variable called $parsed which contains $whatever's value but as a valid array instead of a string.

I'm aware I can just create the array by removing the quotation marks around it like this:

$whatever = array('Test','Blah');

In the actual code I'm working on, though, this isn't a possibility. Also, in my actual code, the array is multidimensional, so something involving a character replacement would probably be impractical, however I'm not ruling it out if it's the best option.

So to sum it up, what's the best way to go about parsing a string as an array in PHP?

share|improve this question
1  
Well is that format given or can you use another format? If you can use an other format you should have a look at JSON. Your data in JSON would look like ['Test','Blah']. –  vstm Aug 31 '12 at 9:49
2  
I wonder how you get this string with array attached to it. Wasn't it some brilliant idea to rely upon var_export as a naive serializer - and couldn't it be overriden with, like, sane choices (serialize, json_encode)? –  raina77ow Aug 31 '12 at 9:49

5 Answers 5

up vote 6 down vote accepted

Use the eval function: http://php.net/manual/en/function.eval.php.

$whatever = "array('Test','Blah')";
$parsed = eval("return " . $whatever . ";");
echo $parsed[1]; //This will be "Blah"

Be careful to check for the $whatever variable contents, because any PHP code can be executed.

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4  
eval() is evil. It has poor performance and is not safe. –  Florent Aug 31 '12 at 9:45
    
It's not safe and doesn't work! –  Mihai Iorga Aug 31 '12 at 9:46
1  
it IS not safe, but it DOES work –  SirDarius Aug 31 '12 at 9:48
    
@Florent If OP knows that only arrays will be parsed, then eval is ok, isn't it? –  galymzhan Aug 31 '12 at 9:48
    
This worked perfectly, thank you! And yes, only array-like strings will be passing through this. –  UserIsCorrupt Aug 31 '12 at 10:02
up vote 2 down vote

The more secure way (without eval) is:

$whatever = "array('Test','Blah')";

$search = array("array", "(", ")", "'");
$parsed = explode(',',str_replace($search, '', $whatever));

echo $parsed[1];

This will remove all unnecessary text and then it will explode the string with the comma delimiter.

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2  
this would not handle recursive arrays, though. –  SirDarius Aug 31 '12 at 9:56
up vote 1 down vote

eval() is evil. It has poor performance and is not safe

So if your array is no so complex use Regular Expression

$subject = "array('Test','Blah','Blah2','Blah3')";
$pattern = "/'(.*?)'/";
preg_match_all($pattern, $subject, $matches);
echo "<pre>";print_r($matches[1]);
share|improve this answer
    
it will not work for recursive array but you can do it with some efforts –  Champ Aug 31 '12 at 10:06
    
be careful to check for the two different quote characters ' and ". –  SirDarius Aug 31 '12 at 10:07
    
yes ofcource but its just a demo ;) –  Champ Aug 31 '12 at 10:08
    
Also, be careful of escaped quotes in the strings :) –  SirDarius Aug 31 '12 at 10:12
    
php.net/manual/en/regexp.reference.escape.php ;) –  Champ Aug 31 '12 at 10:15
up vote 0 down vote

you could write

$strCreateArray = "$whatever = " . "array('Test','Blah')" . ";";

eval( $strCreateArray );
share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

If eval isn't an option. Depending if the array always has then same formatting(never multidimensional), use a replace function to remove array( and ) and all quotes. And then do a string explode on the commas.

Is there no way you can not have this formatting for those arrays? Makes no sense to me to ever have arrays stored like this. Serialization or json are nicer options.

share|improve this answer
    
I confess I'd prefer eval to essentially writing my own PHP data structure parser. –  raina77ow Aug 31 '12 at 9:53
    
@raina77ow , I hope everybody does whenever eval is available and not against company policy. –  René Geuze Aug 31 '12 at 9:56

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