How to optimize checking for matching variables

[bdeshi]

Hi, is there any way to check if a new variable's value matches any other variables without having to match against each variable one by one?

Say I have 1000 variables $var1, $var2, ...... $var1000 (with arbitrary values ). How do I check that a new $varNew matches any of those previous ones without doing:

Code: Select all

if ($varNew != $var1) && ..... &&($varNew != $var1000){
 //do something if no match found
}

??

[nerdweed]

What are you planning to do with 1000 variables.

I trust you would be reading that from a file. If so you can read it in a single variable and then do a regexmatches on it.

You can than split that single variable across 1000 variables if need be.

[PeterH]

What are you planning to do with 1000 variables.

I trust you would be reading that from a file. If so you can read it in a single variable and then do a regexmatches on it.

You can than split that single variable across 1000 variables if need be.

...instead of regexmatches: could also be simply gettokenindex($varNew, $string, ...)

[bdeshi]

okay, maybe 1000 variables was an exaggeration
Thanks, nerdweed, but the variables are dynamically generated.

gettokenindex($varNew, $string, ...)

Aha, thanks! I'll just do $string = $var1.$var2. ... .$var1000 and do ^that!
I can only wonder why I missed it, in fact I've often used a similar method to store random stuff...

[nerdweed]

Thanks PeterH.

I haven't used gettokenindex earlier but now I know where to look when I have a similar requirement.