compact

PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8
compact - Create array containing variables and their values
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Code Examples

compact( array|string$var_name, ... array|string$var_names ): array

Creates an array containing variables and their values.

For each of these, compact looks for a variable with that name in the current symbol table and adds it to the output array such that the variable name becomes the key and the contents of the variable become the value for that key. In short, it does the opposite of extract.

Note:

Before PHP 7.3, any strings that are not set will silently be skipped.

Parameters

var_name var_names

compact takes a variable number of parameters. Each parameter can be either a string containing the name of the variable, or an array of variable names. The array can contain other arrays of variable names inside it; compact handles it recursively.

Return Values

Returns the output array with all the variables added to it.

Exceptions and Errors

compact issues an E_NOTICE level error if a given string refers to an unset variable.

Notes

Note:
Gotcha

Because variable variables may not be used with PHP's Superglobal arrays within functions, the Superglobal arrays may not be passed into compact.

Changelog

Version Description
7.3.0 compact now issues an E_NOTICE level error if a given string refers to an unset variable. Formerly, such strings have been silently skipped.

Related Functions

Example of compact

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