PHP
downloads | documentation | faq | getting help | mailing lists | reporting bugs | php.net sites | links | conferences | my php.net

search for in the

define> <connection_timeout
Last updated: Sun, 25 Nov 2007

view this page in

constant

(PHP 4 >= 4.0.4, PHP 5)

constant — Returns the value of a constant

설명

mixed constant ( string $name )

Return the value of the constant indicated by name .

constant() is useful if you need to retrieve the value of a constant, but do not know its name. I.e. it is stored in a variable or returned by a function.

This function works also with class constants.

매개변수

name

The constant name.

반환값

Returns the value of the constant, or NULL if the constant is not defined.

예제

Example#1 constant() example

<?php

define
("MAXSIZE"100);

echo 
MAXSIZE;
echo 
constant("MAXSIZE"); // same thing as the previous line

?>

참고



define> <connection_timeout
Last updated: Sun, 25 Nov 2007
 
add a note add a note User Contributed Notes
constant
Joachim Chmielewski
15-Feb-2008 03:34
To use constants in functions additional its not neccessary to change the function call wherever you need the constant in a function.

   foo($var1);

to

    foo($var1,$const);

More easy is to change the function definition and use a default value for a new variable that contains the const value.

   function foo($var1,$my_const=CONST_VALUE){
          if($my_const==1) dosomething();
   }

Now it`s not necessary to change the function call wherever you need the function.
vgr at europeanexperts dot org
01-Mar-2007 05:57
in reply to anonymous

[quote]
To check if a constant is boolean, use this instead:

<?php
if (TRACE === true)  {}
?>

Much quicker and cleaner than using defined() and constant() to check for a simple boolean.
[/quote]

is definitely nor cleaner (because it's still as wrong as using simply "if (TRACE)") nor quicker than " if (TRACE)" (one more comparison on a boolean value). This will generate PHP errors. The constant TRACE is NOT defined.

error :
PHP Notice:  Use of undefined constant TRACE - assumed 'TRACE' in yourpath/test_constants.php on line 5

if you really want to be "clean" and as quick as possible, then there is a function :

[code]
function IsBooleanConstantAndTrue($constname) { // : Boolean
  $res=FALSE;
  if (defined($constname)) $res=(constant($constname)===TRUE);
  return($res);
}

// use : if (IsBooleanConstantAndTrue('TRACE')) echo "trace is really True<br>";
[/code]

If you want, you can see a demonstration at http://www.fecj.org/extra/test_constants.php

Regards
01-Feb-2007 08:29
@XC:

That isn't necessary. If a constant is undefined, constant() returns NULL; simply suppressing the warning should be enough:

<?php

if(defined('FOO') && constant('FOO') === 'bar'){
// ...
}

?>

becomes

<?php

if(@constant('FOO') === 'bar') {
// ...
}

?>

Note that in the first snippet, the call to constant isn't unnecessary as well, and adds a bit of overhead. If you're set on using the first notation, the following is better:

<?php

if(defined('FOO') && FOO === 'bar') {
// ...
}

?>
XC
19-Jan-2007 02:13
When you often write lines like

<?php

if(defined('FOO') && constant('FOO') === 'bar')
{
...
}

?>

to prevent errors, you can use the following function to get the value of a constant.

<?php

function getconst($const)
{
    return (
defined($const)) ? constant($const) : null;
}

?>

Finally you can check the value with

<?php

if(getconst('FOO') === 'bar')
{
...
}

?>

It's simply shorter.
03-Oct-2006 05:17
If the constant does not exist, constant() will generate a warning and return null.
narada dot sage at googlemail dot com
13-Jul-2006 06:01
To access the value of a class constant use the following technique.

<?php

class a {
    const
b = 'c';
}

echo
constant('a::b');

// output: c

?>
service at dual-creators dot de
16-May-2006 10:00
It's easily to user constant() and define() to translate some words from your database-saves.

For example:
You have a table userprofil and one coloumn is "gender".
Gender can be male or female but you will display "maennlich" or "weiblich" (german words for it - whatever...)

First step: Fetch into $Gender

Second:
define("male", "maennlich");
define("female", "weiblich");

Third:
echo constant($Gender);

Now, the index of the variable $Gender will be handled like a constant!

(It works like "echo male;" for better understanding)

And a result of this, it displays maennlich btw. weiblich!

greetz
Trevor Blackbird > yurab.com
18-Apr-2006 02:58
Technically you can define constants with names that are not valid for variables:

<?php

// $3some is not a valid variable name
// This will not work
$3some = 'invalid';

// This works
define('3some', 'valid');
echo
constant('3some');

?>

Of course this is not a good practice, but PHP has got you covered.
timneill at hotmail dot com
26-Nov-2005 12:39
Please note when using this function from within a class to retrieve a php5 class constant, ensure you include the 'self::'.

class Validate
{
    const TEXT_MAX = 65536;
   
    //-- this will work
    public static function textWORKS($_value, $_type = 'TEXT')
    {
        $_max = constant('self::' . $_type . '_MAX');
        return (strlen($_value) <= $_max ? true : false);
    }
   
    //-- this will fail
    public static function textFAILS($_value, $_type = 'TEXT')
    {
        //-- Debug Warning: constant(): Couldn't find constant TEXT_MAX
        $_max = constant($_type . '_MAX');
        return (strlen($_value) <= $_max ? true : false);
    }
}
11-Oct-2005 07:20
In reply to VGR_experts_exchange at edainworks dot com

To check if a constant is boolean, use this instead:

<?php
if (TRACE === true)  {}
?>

Much quicker and cleaner than using defined() and constant() to check for a simple boolean.

IMO, using ($var === true) or ($var === false) instead of ($var) or (!$var) is the best way to check for booleans no matter what. Leaves no chance of ambiguity.
Joachim Kruyswijk
13-Nov-2004 09:12
The constant name can be an empty string.

Code:

define("", "foo");
echo constant("");

Output:

foo
VGR_experts_exchange at edainworks dot com
19-Sep-2003 05:32
Hello. This applies to constants being defined as Boolean values, and may-be applies generally.

I advise you to NOT use this in an included file, in a function or elsewhere outside the scope where the define('TRACE',TRUE) is placed) :

if (TRACE) {}

This will always evaluate to TRUE if the constant is not defined previously (the story about this becoming an string 'TRACE', thus evaluating to TRUE)

Use this :

<?php
if ((defined('TRACE'))AND(constant('TRACE')))  {}
?>
Andre
27-Apr-2003 01:10
Maybe this is useful:

$file_ext is the file Extension of the image

<?php
if ( imagetypes() & @constant('IMG_' . strtoupper($file_ext)) )
{
   
$file_ext = $file_ext == 'jpg' ? 'jpeg' : $file_ext;
   
$create_func = 'ImageCreateFrom' . $file_ext;
}
?>

define> <connection_timeout
Last updated: Sun, 25 Nov 2007
 
 
show source | credits | stats | sitemap | contact | advertising | mirror sites