How to make a php variable based on two variable that vary - php

Question

So i have this code, $value2 is an array of values that I edit.
I have .txt document for each of the variable in the array.. for exemple
sometext_AA.txt
sometext_BB.txt
I currently have over 50 text files, and it make a BIG BIG BIG php files because i have the following code made for each of the files for exemple sometext_AA.txt...
I would like to make one script(the following) so that one script will work for all of my $value2(I do not delete the old texts files when the value are changed so i am unable to just make script to read all different text file, it has to be done that it read the active $value2 and process them...
I am not even sure if I am on the good way but i really hope someone can help me out.
Thank you!
$value2 = array("AA","BB","CC");
foreach($value2 as $value3) {
foreach($random1_' .$value3' as $random2_' .$value3') {
$random3_' .$value3' = 'sometext_.$value3'.txt;
$random4_' .$value3' = json_encode(file_get_contents($random3_' .$value3'));
echo $random4_' .$value3';
}
}
This is a exemple of current text i have in my file, I have a very big php file, and, id like a code to make it simple
foreach($random1_AA as $random2_AA) {
$random3_AA = 'sometext_AA.txt;
$random4_AA = json_encode(file_get_contents($random3_AA));
echo $random4_AA;
}
foreach($random1_BB as $random2_BB) {
$random3_BB = 'sometext_BB.txt;
$random4_BB = json_encode(file_get_contents($random3_BB));
echo $random4_BB;
}
foreach($random1_CC as $random2_CC) {
$random3_CC = 'sometext_CC.txt;
$random4_CC = json_encode(file_get_contents($random3_CC));
echo $random4_CC;
}
foreach($random1_DD as $random2_DD) {
$random3_DD = 'sometext_DD.txt;
$random4_DD = json_encode(file_get_contents($random3_DD));
echo $random4_DD;
}

Answer 1

I think that this is what you are looking for, using the $var_{$var_in_var} syntax that PHP allows (so you can include a variable in a variable name).
$value2 = array("AA","BB","CC");
foreach($value2 as $value3) {
foreach($random1_{$value3} as $random2_{$value3}) {
$random3_{$value3} = 'sometext_'.$value3.'.txt';
$random4_{$value3} = json_encode(file_get_contents($random3_{$value3}));
echo $random4_{$value3};
}
}
However, I stongly advise you to consider the following points in order to make your code maintainable:
Use appropriate variable names representing the real content of each variable (you shoud never use "value1", "value2", etc. as the name tells nothing about the variable content).
Don't use variables in variable names unless absolutely necessary, which is not your case. You can use arrays, which are better suited for doing that.
In fact, I don't even know what $random1_XX and $random2_XX are supposed to be. I don't see you defining them in the code sample you posted.
Here is an example of how clear and concise you code may be if you use my advice and if all you need to read all the files and print them in JSON format (which is the only thing the program sample you posted would be doing after corrections).
$file_codes = array('AA', 'BB', 'CC');
foreach($file_codes as $file_code) {
echo json_encode(file_get_contents('sometext_'.$file_code.'.txt'));
}
Of course, if you have anything else in your program (maybe some code using the variables $random3_XX and $random4_XX?), I cannot guess what it is so I can't really offer you help to optimize this code.