count
current() also works on objects:
<?php
echo current((object) array('one', 'two')); // Outputs: one
?>
current
(PHP 4, PHP 5)
current — Return the current element in an array
Description
Every array has an internal pointer to its "current" element, which is initialized to the first element inserted into the array.
Parameters
-
array -
The array.
Return Values
The current() function simply returns the
value of the array element that's currently being pointed to by the
internal pointer. It does not move the pointer in any way. If the
internal pointer points beyond the end of the elements list or the array is
empty, current() returns FALSE.
Warning
This function may
return Boolean FALSE, but may also return a non-Boolean value which
evaluates to FALSE. Please read the section on Booleans for more
information. Use the ===
operator for testing the return value of this
function.
Examples
Example #1 Example use of current() and friends
<?php
$transport = array('foot', 'bike', 'car', 'plane');
$mode = current($transport); // $mode = 'foot';
$mode = next($transport); // $mode = 'bike';
$mode = current($transport); // $mode = 'bike';
$mode = prev($transport); // $mode = 'foot';
$mode = end($transport); // $mode = 'plane';
$mode = current($transport); // $mode = 'plane';
$arr = array();
var_dump(current($arr)); // bool(false)
$arr = array(array());
var_dump(current($arr)); // array(0) { }
?>
Notes
Note: You won't be able to distinguish the end of an array from a boolean
FALSEelement. To properly traverse an array which may containFALSEelements, see the each() function.
See Also
- end() - Set the internal pointer of an array to its last element
- key() - Fetch a key from an array
- each() - Return the current key and value pair from an array and advance the array cursor
- prev() - Rewind the internal array pointer
- reset() - Set the internal pointer of an array to its first element
- next() - Advance the internal array pointer of an array
add a note
User Contributed Notes
current - [8 notes]
michael at squiloople dot com ¶
1 year ago
vaclav dot sir at gmail dot com ¶
5 years ago
To that "note": You won't be able to distinguish the end of an array from a boolean FALSE element, BUT you can distinguish the end from a NULL value of the key() function.
Example:
<?php
if (key($array) === null) {
echo "You are in the end of the array.";
} else {
echo "Current element: " . current($array);
}
?>
vitalib at 012 dot net dot il ¶
9 years ago
Note that by copying an array its internal pointer is lost:
<?php
$myarray = array(0=>'a', 1=>'b', 2=>'c');
next($myarray);
print_r(current($myarray));
echo '<br>';
$a = $myarray;
print_r(current($a));
?>
Would output 'b' and then 'a' since the internal pointer wasn't copied. You can cope with that problem using references instead, like that:
<?php
$a =& $myarray;
?>
mdeng at kabenresearch dot com ¶
9 years ago
For large array(my sample was 80000+ elements), if you want to traverse the array in sequence, using array index $a[$i] could be very inefficient(very slow). I had to switch to use current($a).
gregory at gregory dot net ¶
5 years ago
It took me a while to figure this out, but there is a more consistent way to figure out whether you really went past the end of the array, than using each().
You see, each() gets the value BEFORE advancing the pointer, and next() gets the value AFTER advancing the pointer. When you are implementing the Iterator interface, therefore, it's a real pain in the behind to use each().
And thus, I give you the solution:
To see if you've blown past the end of the array, use key($array) and see if it returns NULL. If it does, you're past the end of the array -- keys can't be null in arrays.
Nifty, huh? Here's how I implemented the Iterator interface in one of my classes:
<?php
/**
* DbRow file
* @package PalDb
*/
/**
* This class lets you use Db rows and object-relational mapping functionality.
*/
class DbRow implements Iterator
{
/**
* The DbResult object that gave us this row through fetchDbRows
* @var DbResult
*/
protected $result;
/**
* The fields of the row
* @var $fields
*/
protected $fields;
/**
* Constructor
*
* @param PDOStatement $stmt
* The PDO statement object that this result uses
* @param DbResult $result
* The result that produced this row through fetchDbRows
*/
function __construct($result)
{
$this->result = $result;
}
/**
* Get the DbResult object that gave us this row through fetchDbRows
* @return DbResult
*
* @return unknown
*/
function getResult()
{
return $this->result;
}
function __set(
$name,
$value)
{
$this->fields[$name] = $value;
}
function __get(
$name)
{
if (isset($this->fields[$name]))
return $this->fields[$name];
else
return null;
}
/**
* Iterator implementation - rewind
*/
function rewind()
{
$this->beyondLastField = false;
return reset($this->fields);
}
function valid()
{
return !$this->beyondLastField;
}
function current()
{
return current($this->fields);
}
function key()
{
return key($this->fields);
}
function next()
{
$next = next($this->fields);
$key = key($this->fields);
if (isset($key)) {
return $next[1];
} else {
$this->beyondLastField = true;
return false; // doesn't matter what we return here, see valid()
}
}
private $beyondLastField = false;
};
Hope this helps someone.
retestro_REMOVE at SPAM_esperanto dot org dot il ¶
10 years ago
The docs do not specify this, but adding to the array using the brackets syntax:
<?php $my_array[] = $new_value; ?>
will not advance the internal pointer of the array. therefore, you cannot use current() to get the last value added or key() to get the key of the most recently added element.
You should do an end($my_array) to advance the internal pointer to the end ( as stated in one of the notes on end() ), then
<?php
$last_key = key($my_array); // will return the key
$last_value = current($my_array); // will return the value
?>
If you have no need in the key, $last_value = end($my_array) will also do the job.
- Sergey.
tipman ¶
10 years ago
if you got a array with number as index you get the last index with this:
eg:
$array[0] = "foo";
$array[1] = "foo2";
$lastKey = sizeof($array) - 1;
only a little help :)
aefxx ¶
5 years ago
A simple copy function that not only copies the given array but ensures the copy's pointer is set to the exact same position:
<?php
function array_copy(&array)
{
$key = key($array);
$copy = $array;
while (($copy_key = key($copy)) !== NULL) {
if ($copy_key == $key) break;
next($copy);
}
return $copy;
}
?>
That's all ... bye.