Re: [PHP] Re: Difference between $_POST[foo] and $_POST['foo']?

[Chris Hayes]

At 12:42 17-6-03, you wrote:
the first will generate a warning if warnings are enabled.
it could mean a constant or a string, if a constant with that name is not 
available
php will use it as a string and show a warning.
the second is right as a string.
in addition to that.

In your example the array key is a string.
'foo' is a string.
(if $string_a='foo'; ) $string_a is a string
foo is not a string
but after define('foo','stringvalue');, foo is a CONSTANT with a string 
value.  see http://www.php.net/define

If you type $_POST[foo] in a piece of code, PHP recognizes that foo is not 
a normal string such as 'foo', and not a variable as it does not have a $. 
So then PHP checks its definition-list to see if 'foo' is defined. If not, 
PHP will issue a warning (if turned on) that says something like "i assume 
you mean 'foo'") and uses the string 'foo' as key. This is extra work for 
PHP and should be avoided, although you see it a lot.

There is one confusing exception: within double quotes strings, you may use 
array keys without the quotes. "For example like $_POST[foo]";. If you can, 
I recommend using 'For example like '.$_POST['foo'].

Last one: $_POST["foo"] is ok too but now PHP will first check the string 
"foo" for possible variables inside: (a little bit of ) extra work that is 
not there with single quotes ($_POST['foo']).





Thomas

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 11:09:14 +0300 [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Jarmo 
Järvenpää) wrote:

> Hi
>
> A quickie, how does the $_POST[foo] and $_POST['foo'] differ?
> Both do work.
>
>
> BR,
> Jarmo


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