unpacking an array of arguments in php

Question

Python provides the \"*\" operator for unpacking a list of tuples and giving them to a function as arguments, like so:

args = [3, 6]
range(*args)                     


        

Answer 1

In php5.6 Argument unpacking via ... (splat operator) has been added. Using it, you can get rid of call_user_func_array() for this simpler alternative. For example having a function:

function add($a, $b){
  return $a + $b;
}

With your array $list = [4, 6]; (after php5.5 you can declare arrays in this way).

You can call your function with ...:

echo add(...$list);

Answer 2

You should use the call_user_func_array

call_user_func_array(array(CLASS, METHOD), array(arg1, arg2, ....))

http://www.php.net/call_user_func_array

or use the reflection api http://www.php.net/oop5.reflection

Answer 3

In certain scenarios, you might consider using unpacking, which is possible in php, is a similar way to python:

list($min, $max) = [3, 6];
range($min, $max);

This is how I have arrived to this answer at least. Google search: PHP argument unpacking

Answer 4

You can use call_user_func_array() to achieve that:

call_user_func_array("range", $args); to use your example.

Answer 5

<?php

function add(int ...$arr) {           // typehint ready
    return array_sum($arr);
}

var_dump(add(1, 2, 3, ...[1, 2, 3])); // int(12)

Another example with ... - operator.
RFC: https://wiki.php.net/rfc/variadics