AS#3 organize variables loaded from PhP - php

Question

I am having a problem of how to organize my variables in flash that are from a PHP script.Ideally i want them in an array type format so i can loop through them.Below is some code to go with.
function completeHandler(evt:Event){ // after loading the php
var symbolsArray:Array = new Array()
symbolsArray.push(evt.target.data.symbol_1);// php variable named: symbol_1, symbol_2
trace(evt.target.data);
}
The above is allworking, the PHP variables are listed as symbol_1, symbol_2 etc
Instead of pushing each variable separably into the array i want a loop, along the lines of:
function completeHandler(evt:Event){
var symbolsArray:Array = new Array()
var counter =1
symbolsArray.push(evt.target.data.symbol_+counter); this is the issue
trace(symbolsArray[0]); //returns NaN
}
Below is the php return vars to flash to give an idea:
$returnVars['symbol_1'] = $virtualReel1[0];
$returnVars['symbol_2'] = $virtualReel1[1];
$returnVars['symbol_3'] = $virtualReel1[2];
$returnVars['symbol_4'] = $virtualReel2[0];
$returnVars['symbol_5'] = $virtualReel2[1];
//etc
$returnString = http_build_query($returnVars);
echo $returnString;

Answer 1

symbolsArray.push(evt.target.data["symbol_"+counter]);
If you need to dynamically query properties of an object, you address it as an Array or a Dictionary, by a string key, which can be dynamically formed. Works on anything.

Answer 2

The returned data can be treated as an Object (containing Objects) so you can loop thru it like so:
function completeHandler(evt:Event)
{
var symbolsArray:Array = new Array();
for each (var obj:Object in evt.target.data)
{
symbolsArray.push(obj);
}
}
If you know all items are oif same type, you can cast the object. eg: if all Numbers:
symbolsArray.push(Number(obj));
Or Strings:
symbolsArray.push(String(obj));