create_function

create_function

Create a function dynamically by evaluating a string of code

string **create_function** string $args string $code

Creates a function dynamically from the parameters passed, and returns a unique name for it.

Let op: > This function internally performs an and as such has the same security issues as . It also has bad performance and memory usage characteristics, because the created functions are global and can not be freed. eval``eval

A native
 should be used instead.

anonymous function

It is normally advisable to pass these parameters as

strings. If using strings, variable names in the code need to be escaped carefully, e.g. .

single quoteddouble quoted\$somevar``argsThe function arguments, as a single comma-separated string.

codeThe function code.

Returns a unique function name as a string, return.falseforfailure. Note that the name contains a non-printable character (), so care should be taken when printing the name or incorporating it in any other string. "\0"

**Voorbeeld: Creating a function dynamically, with or anonymous functions **

 You can use a dynamically created function, to (for example) create a function from
 information gathered at run time. First, using :
`create_function`

<?php
$newfunc = create_function('$a,$b', 'return "ln($a) + ln($b) = " . log($a * $b);');
echo $newfunc(2, M_E) . "\n";
?>

 Now the same code, using an ;
 note that the code and arguments are no longer contained in strings:
anonymous function

<?php
$newfunc = function($a,$b) { return "ln($a) + ln($b) = " . log($a * $b); };
echo $newfunc(2, M_E) . "\n";
?>

ln(2) + ln(2.718281828459) = 1.6931471805599

**Voorbeeld: Making a general processing function, with or anonymous functions **

Another use could be to have general handler function that can apply a set of operations to a list of parameters:

<?php
function process($var1, $var2, $farr)
{
    foreach ($farr as $f) {
        echo $f($var1, $var2) . "\n";
    }
}

// create a bunch of math functions
$farr = array(
    create_function('$x,$y', 'return "some trig: ".(sin($x) + $x*cos($y));'),
    create_function('$x,$y', 'return "a hypotenuse: ".sqrt($x*$x + $y*$y);'),
    create_function('$a,$b', 'if ($a >=0) {return "b*a^2 = ".$b*sqrt($a);} else {return false;}'),
    create_function('$a,$b', "return \"min(b^2+a, a^2,b) = \".min(\$a*\$a+\$b,\$b*\$b+\$a);"),
    create_function('$a,$b', 'if ($a > 0 && $b != 0) {return "ln(a)/b = ".log($a)/$b; } else { return false; }')
);

echo "\nUsing the first array of dynamic functions\n";
echo "parameters: 2.3445, M_PI\n";
process(2.3445, M_PI, $farr);

// now make a bunch of string processing functions
$garr = array(
    create_function('$b,$a', 'if (strncmp($a, $b, 3) == 0) return "** \"$a\" '.
        'and \"$b\"\n** Look the same to me! (looking at the first 3 chars)";'),
    create_function('$a,$b', 'return "CRCs: " . crc32($a) . ", ".crc32($b);'),
    create_function('$a,$b', 'return "similar(a,b) = " . similar_text($a, $b, $p) . "($p%)";')
);
echo "\nUsing the second array of dynamic functions\n";
process("Twas brilling and the slithy toves", "Twas the night", $garr);
?>

 Again, here is the same code using
 .
 Note that variable names in the code no longer need to be escaped,
 because they are not enclosed in a string.
anonymous functions

<?php
function process($var1, $var2, $farr)
{
    foreach ($farr as $f) {
        echo $f($var1, $var2) . "\n";
    }
}

// create a bunch of math functions
$farr = array(
    function($x,$y) { return "some trig: ".(sin($x) + $x*cos($y)); },
    function($x,$y) { return "a hypotenuse: ".sqrt($x*$x + $y*$y); },
    function($a,$b) { if ($a >=0) {return "b*a^2 = ".$b*sqrt($a);} else {return false;} },
    function($a,$b) { return "min(b^2+a, a^2,b) = " . min($a*$a+$b, $b*$b+$a); },
    function($a,$b) { if ($a > 0 && $b != 0) {return "ln(a)/b = ".log($a)/$b; } else { return false; } }
);

echo "\nUsing the first array of dynamic functions\n";
echo "parameters: 2.3445, M_PI\n";
process(2.3445, M_PI, $farr);

// now make a bunch of string processing functions
$garr = array(
    function($b,$a) { if (strncmp($a, $b, 3) == 0) return "** \"$a\" " .
        "and \"$b\"\n** Look the same to me! (looking at the first 3 chars)"; },
    function($a,$b) { return "CRCs: " . crc32($a) . ", ".crc32($b); },
    function($a,$b) { return "similar(a,b) = " . similar_text($a, $b, $p) . "($p%)"; }
);
echo "\nUsing the second array of dynamic functions\n";
process("Twas brilling and the slithy toves", "Twas the night", $garr);
?>

Using the first array of dynamic functions
parameters: 2.3445, M_PI
some trig: -1.6291725057799
a hypotenuse: 3.9199852871011
b*a^2 = 4.8103313314525
min(b^2+a, a^2,b) = 8.6382729035898
ln(a)/b = 0.27122299212594

Using the second array of dynamic functions
** "Twas the night" and "Twas brilling and the slithy toves"
** Look the same to me! (looking at the first 3 chars)
CRCs: 3569586014, 342550513
similar(a,b) = 11(45.833333333333%)

Voorbeeld: Using dynamic functions as callback functions

 Perhaps the most common use for dynamic functions
 is to pass them as callbacks, for example when using
  or .
`array_walk``usort`

<?php
$av = array("the ", "a ", "that ", "this ");
array_walk($av, create_function('&$v,$k', '$v = $v . "mango";'));
print_r($av);
?>

 Converted to an :
anonymous function

<?php
$av = array("the ", "a ", "that ", "this ");
array_walk($av, function(&$v,$k) { $v = $v . "mango"; });
print_r($av);
?>

Array
(
  [0] => the mango
  [1] => a mango
  [2] => that mango
  [3] => this mango
)

 Sorting strings from longest to shortest with :
`create_function`

<?php
$sv = array("small", "a big string", "larger", "it is a string thing");
echo "Original:\n";
print_r($sv);
echo "Sorted:\n";
usort($sv, create_function('$a,$b','return strlen($b) - strlen($a);'));
print_r($sv);
?>

 Converted to an :
anonymous function

<?php
$sv = array("small", "a big string", "larger", "it is a string thing");
echo "Original:\n";
print_r($sv);
echo "Sorted:\n";
usort($sv, function($a,$b) { return strlen($b) - strlen($a); });
print_r($sv);
?>

Original:
Array
(
  [0] => small
  [1] => a big string
  [2] => larger
  [3] => it is a string thing
)
Sorted:
Array
(
  [0] => it is a string thing
  [1] => a big string
  [2] => larger
  [3] => small
)

Anonymous functions