How to get a variable name as a string in PHP?

Question

Say i have this PHP code:

$FooBar = \"a string\";

i then need a function like this:

print_var_name($FooBar);

Answer 1

Lucas on PHP.net provided a reliable way to check if a variable exists. In his example, he iterates through a copy of the global variable array (or a scoped array) of variables, changes the value to a randomly generated value, and checks for the generated value in the copied array.

function variable_name( &$var, $scope=false, $prefix='UNIQUE', $suffix='VARIABLE' ){
    if($scope) {
        $vals = $scope;
    } else {
        $vals = $GLOBALS;
    }
    $old = $var;
    $var = $new = $prefix.rand().$suffix;
    $vname = FALSE;
    foreach($vals as $key => $val) {
        if($val === $new) $vname = $key;
    }
    $var = $old;
    return $vname;
}

Then try:

$a = 'asdf';
$b = 'asdf';
$c = FALSE;
$d = FALSE;

echo variable_name($a); // a
echo variable_name($b); // b
echo variable_name($c); // c
echo variable_name($d); // d

Be sure to check his post on PHP.net: http://php.net/manual/en/language.variables.php

Answer 2

From php.net

@Alexandre - short solution

<?php
function vname(&$var, $scope=0)
{
    $old = $var;
    if (($key = array_search($var = 'unique'.rand().'value', !$scope ? $GLOBALS : $scope)) && $var = $old) return $key;  
}
?>

@Lucas - usage

<?php
//1.  Use of a variable contained in the global scope (default):
  $my_global_variable = "My global string.";
  echo vname($my_global_variable); // Outputs:  my_global_variable

//2.  Use of a local variable:
  function my_local_func()
  {
    $my_local_variable = "My local string.";
    return vname($my_local_variable, get_defined_vars());
  }
  echo my_local_func(); // Outputs: my_local_variable

//3.  Use of an object property:
  class myclass
  {
    public function __constructor()
    {
      $this->my_object_property = "My object property  string.";
    }
  }
  $obj = new myclass;
  echo vname($obj->my_object_property, $obj); // Outputs: my_object_property
?>

Answer 3

If the variable is interchangable, you must have logic somewhere that's determining which variable gets used. All you need to do is put the variable name in $variable within that logic while you're doing everything else.

I think we're all having a hard time understanding what you're needing this for. Sample code or an explanation of what you're actually trying to do might help, but I suspect you're way, way overthinking this.

Answer 4

I really fail to see the use case... If you will type print_var_name($foobar) what's so hard (and different) about typing print("foobar") instead?

Because even if you were to use this in a function, you'd get the local name of the variable...

In any case, here's the reflection manual in case there's something you need in there.

Answer 5

This is exactly what you want - its a ready to use "copy and drop in" function that echo the name of a given var:

function print_var_name(){
    // read backtrace
    $bt   = debug_backtrace();
    // read file
    $file = file($bt[0]['file']);
    // select exact print_var_name($varname) line
    $src  = $file[$bt[0]['line']-1];
    // search pattern
    $pat = '#(.*)'.__FUNCTION__.' *?\( *?(.*) *?\)(.*)#i';
    // extract $varname from match no 2
    $var  = preg_replace($pat, '$2', $src);
    // print to browser
    echo trim($var);
}

USAGE: print_var_name($FooBar)

PRINT: FooBar

HINT Now you can rename the function and it will still work and also use the function several times in one line! Thanks to @Cliffordlife

Answer 6

I was looking for this but just decided to pass the name in, I usually have the name in the clipboard anyway.

function VarTest($my_var,$my_var_name){
    echo '$'.$my_var_name.': '.$my_var.'<br />';
}

$fruit='apple';
VarTest($fruit,'fruit');