Uninitialized string offset while building array

Question

I am getting the following error from the method presented below:

Notice: Uninitialized string offset: 5 in /path/to/file.php on line 30 Fatal error: Cannot access empty property in path/to/file.php on line 30

private function parse($xml, $index = '') {
    echo count($xml->children()); //outputs 6
    $count = 0;
    foreach ($xml->children() as $key => $value) {

        $this->$key[$count] = array();
        $count++;

    }

}

Any ideas why if I build an multi-dimensional in this way it results in an error?

If I change the assignment to:

$this->$key = array($count = > array());

This simply re-assigns the property each loop. Thanks Rich

Can you add the XML you are dealing with so that we can have a better picture ?? — Baba
– Baba, Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 15:24
possible duplicate: PHP: What causes: “Notice: Uninitialized string offset” to appear? — hakre
– hakre, Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 15:28

hakre · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-04 15:33:31Z

1

Imagine you've got a string:

$string = 'abc`;

Doing substring access (which looks like array) will return you the character:

echo $string[2]; # c

Or you get your error when you're out of the index:

echo $string[3]; # null + warning

So now accessing a member of your object $this dynamically:

$this->$string[2]; # access $this->c

However this one breaks hardly:

$this->$string[3]; # access $this->null (not possible)

This gives you your fatal error of an empty property, a property with no name.

This explain what happens in your code, you have not told what you're trying to do so I hope this information will help you to continue with writing your parse function.

answered Oct 4, 2012 at 15:33

hakre

200k55 gold badges453 silver badges865 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Richard Testani Over a year ago

I see. So I am accessing a piece of the string, or trying to reassign a part of a string instead of assigning a new index.

hakre Over a year ago

You are actually first of all dynamically saying the name of the property. As the property results in no-name, you get the fatal error.

Richard Testani Over a year ago

I am trying to dynamically build a multi-dimensional array. The xml has a handful of nodes named 'Class', which I'd like to set as an array $this->class[0], $this->class[1]... which has sub arrays. I want it dynamic because I have a few similarly structured XML files which I don't want to know all the names of each node. Thanks!

strmstn · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-04 15:28:19Z

1

You should try to create the array before filling it. I.e. $this->key = array();

That is, before looping through the XML elements.

answered Oct 4, 2012 at 15:28

strmstn

8726 silver badges11 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Uninitialized string offset while building array

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related