Question

So this all stemmed from not wanting to check each POST in a huge If statement with tons of ANDs like so:

if(isset($_POST[$question], $_POST[$choice1], $_POST[$choice2], $_POST[$choice3], $_POST[$choice4], $_POST[$choice5], $_POST[$password]) && 
    strlen(question > 0) &&
    strlen(choice1 > 0) &&
    strlen(choice2 > 0) &&
    strlen(choice3 > 0) &&
    strlen(choice4 > 0) &&
    strlen(choice5 > 0) &&
    strlen(password > 0)) 
{
    $cat=$_POST['cat'];
    $question=$_POST['question'];
    $choice1=$_POST['choice1'];
    $choice2=$_POST['choice2'];
    $choice3=$_POST['choice3'];
    $choice4=$_POST['choice4'];
    $choice5=$_POST['choice5'];
    $password=$_POST['password'];
}
else{
    //Incorrect password or missing data
}

Instead I created an array with a string for each variable I wanted to check for and a foreach loop to run my tests

//create array with all wanted variables
$variables = array('cat', 'question', 'choice1', 'choice2', 'choice3', 'choice4', 'choice5', 'password');
$returnError = FALSE;
//run through array to check that all have been posted and meet requirements
foreach($variables as $var) {
    if(!isset($_POST[$var]) || !strlen($_POST[$var]) > 0) {
        $returnError = TRUE;
        break;
    }
}

Now I want to take the string names and instantiate variables with the same name

//create array with all wanted variables
$variables = array('cat', 'question', 'choice1', 'choice2', 'choice3', 'choice4', 'choice5', 'password');
$returnError = FALSE;
//run through array to check that all have been posted and meet requirements
foreach($variables as $var) {
    if(!isset($_POST[$var]) || !strlen($_POST[$var]) > 0) {
        $returnError = TRUE;
        break;
    }
    else{
        global $*/variable named $var*/ = $_POST[$var];
    }
}

Is that possible? If not, how would I do something similar with an array of variables like so:

$variables = array($cat,$question,$choice1,$choice2,$choice3,$choice4,$choice5,$password);

Answer 1

You can use Variable variables, although it is not recommended.

global $$var = $_POST[$var];