function returnsAnArray ()
{
return array ('test');
}
echo returnsAnArray ()[0];
generates a syntax error in PHP. What's the most efficient way to directly obtain an element from a returned array without assigning the result to a temp variable?
Here's one way, using the list language construct
function returnsAnArray ()
{
return array ('test');
}
list($foo)=returnsAnArray();
You could grab a sequence of elements from an offset by combining this with array_slice
list($third,$fourth,$fifth)=array_slice(returnsAnArray(), 2, 3);
$nth value from the array?
Define a new function for returning a specific index from an array.
function arr_index($arr, $i) { return $arr[$i]; }
You might want to add some error and type checking there.
And then use it like this:
echo arr_index(returnsAnArray(), 0);
Happy Coding :)
This will work if there is only one member in the array:
<?php
echo current(returnsAnArray());
?>
Another option:
<?php
echo reset(functionThatReturnsAnArray());
?>
Similar thread: PHP: Can I reference a single member of an array that is returned by a function?
For regular numerically indexed arrays, where func() returns such an array and $n is the index you want:
array_pop(array_slice(func(),$n,1));
For associative arrays (e.g. strings or other things as keys), or numeric arrays that aren't numbered and complete from 0..n, it's a little more convoluted. Where $key is the key you want:
array_pop(array_intersect_keys(func(),Array($key => ""));
This would also work for the first case.
I ask myself why one would like to avoid creating a temporary variable for a returned array. Why don't you just return one value instead of an whole array? Maybe you'll have to overthink your program logic.
Or is it a performance/memory issue? Consider using references instead of always creating a new array object and returning it.
