Parse PHP var_dump from Python script

Question

How can I parse the result of var_dump in PHP? My PHP code calls a Python script as follows:

exec("python /home/content/51/5159651/html/perl/test_python.py $a0 $a1", $output);
var_dump($output);

where $a0 and $a1 are integers. test_python.py multiplies $a0 and $a1 correctly, but the result (for $a0=5 and $a1=7) of var_dump($output) is

array(1) { [0]=> string(2) "35" }

All I want is the answer, 35. Yes, I can parse the result using regex, but there must be a simpler way - e.g. something other than var_dump. The code for test_python.py is below, and I would be happy to modify it to get a simpler way to extract the result.

#!/usr/bin/python
import sys 
parameter1=int(sys.argv[1]);
parameter2=int(sys.argv[2]);

def main(parameter1, parameter2):
    output = parameter1*parameter2
    return output

output=main(parameter1, parameter2);
print(output);

var dump is almost certainly not the correct mechanism to use for this — Joran Beasley
– Joran Beasley, Commented Oct 2, 2015 at 1:43

Hanky Panky · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-02 04:31:29Z

4

You just need someone's phone number and you are doing a whole background check :)

var_dump($output);

Tells you everything about the response $output, but you just want the value. So

echo $output[0];   //$output is an array and you need its first element.

So your var_dump needs to go.

exec("python /home/content/51/5159651/html/perl/test_python.py $a0 $a1",  $output);
echo $output[0];   // will say 35 for 5 and 7

A little extra

This is the explanation of var_dump output

array(1) { [0]=> string(2) "35" }

That means $output is an array with 1 element which is on index 0. Element type = string and its length = 2 and its value = 35

edited Oct 2, 2015 at 4:31

answered Oct 2, 2015 at 1:18

Hanky Panky

46.9k9 gold badges76 silver badges95 bronze badges

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

1 Comment

Parmenides Over a year ago

Thanks for your answer!

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Parse PHP var_dump from Python script

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related