Only initialize a variable in an array if it's requested - php

Question

Here's a little mock-up to describe my predicament:
<?php
$var = "Before";
function getVar(){
global $var;
return $var;
}
$array = Array(
"variable" => "Var = " . getVar()
);
$var = "After";
echo $array['variable'];
?>
That code would echo 'Before', I'm aiming for it to echo 'after'. I realize that this is how PHP is supposed to work however it's crucial for the array to execute getVar() only when it's called.
How would I go about doing this?

Answer 1

You can not do this since array declaration will initialize it - so you're mixing function calling at array's 'usage' and at it's definition. There's no 'usage': array is already defined to that moment.
However, an answer could be using ArrayAccess, like this:
class XArray implements ArrayAccess
{
private $storage = [];
public function __construct()
{
$this->storage = func_get_args();
}
public function offsetSet($offset, $value)
{
if(is_null($offset))
{
$this->storage[] = $value;
}
else
{
$this->storage[$offset] = $value;
}
}
public function offsetExists($offset)
{
return isset($this->storage[$offset]);
}
public function offsetUnset($offset)
{
unset($this->storage[$offset]);
}
public function offsetGet($offset)
{
if(!isset($this->storage[$offset]))
{
return null;
}
return is_callable($this->storage[$offset])?
call_user_func($this->storage[$offset]):
$this->storage[$offset];
}
}
function getVar()
{
global $var;
return $var;
}
$var = 'Before Init';
$array = new XArray('foo', 'getVar', 'bar');
$var = 'After Init';
var_dump($array[1]);//'After Init'
-i.e. try to call data, which is inside element, when actual get happened. You may want to have different constructor (for associative arrays) - but the general idea was shown.

Answer 2

Editing my answer after the question was edited.
No, what you are trying to achieve isn't possible because when you call the function it returns and it's done at that point. But you could achieve something similar with object oriented coding. I'll create something for you, please wait.
<?php
class Foo {
public function __toString() {
global $var;
return "Var = {$var}";
}
}
$var = "Before";
$array = array( "variable" => new Foo() );
$var = "After";
echo $array['variable'];
?>
PS: Sorry for the late answer, but there was a blackout in Salzburg. :(

Answer 3

It occurred to me that you could also use anonymous functions and invoke/execute those
Proof of concept:
$var = "Before";
function getVar(){
global $var;
return $var;
}
$array = Array(
"variable" => create_function(null, "return 'Var = ' . getVar();")
);
$var = "After";
echo $array['variable']();
returns
Var = After