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PHP Build a Simple PHP Application Wrapping Up The Project Objects

Posted by Thomas Grow
Thomas Grow
3,238 Points

Disconnect about =>

I keep messing up on questions such as this:

What does the following block of code output? 

<?php

$flavors = array("Cake Batter","Cookie Dough");

foreach ($flavors as $a => $b) {

    echo $a;

}

?>

I know that $a is the key and $b is the value... but I'm having trouble distinguishing the difference. After all, what else can $a be? I thought that the answer for this would be: Cake BatterCookie Dough , but that's apparently wrong. Would the answer be 01???I just don't understand. Can someone clear up the whole => thing for me? On the surface, it seems easy... but I'm just not getting it.

Thanks.

3 Answers

Nicklas Wiborg
Nicklas Wiborg
12,692 Points
Nicklas Wiborg
Nicklas Wiborg
12,692 Points

In the foreach loop you can assign the key of the looped element to a variable trough =>.

In your case you loop trough two elements in the array positions 0 and 1.

When the foreach-loop goes the first time it will assign $b to get the value "Cake Batter" and $a the key of the element which is 0. In the next element it will assign $b = "Cookie Dough" and $a = 1;

So the answer of your question is: 01

Carles Jove i Buxeda
Carles Jove i Buxeda
4,281 Points
Carles Jove i Buxeda
Carles Jove i Buxeda
4,281 Points

Nicklas Wiborg's answer is right. I'd just add that it outputs 0 and 1 because, since they don't have a specific key, they are integers by default.

Other examples would be:

<?php

$flavors = array( 4 => "Cake Batter", 7 => "Cookie Dough");

foreach ($flavors as $a => $b) {
    echo $a; // outputs 4 and 7
}

$flavors = array( 'cool' => "Cake Batter", 'cooler' => "Cookie Dough");

foreach ($flavors as $a => $b) {
    echo $a; // outputs cool and cooler
}

?>

Here's the Array page from the PHP docs

Thomas Grow
Thomas Grow
3,238 Points
Thomas Grow
Thomas Grow
3,238 Points

Thanks Nicklas Wiborg, Carles Jove i Buxeda