var_export
Description
Outputs or returns a parsable string representation of a variable
Syntax
var_export(mixed $value, bool $return = false): ?string
Parameters
value
The variable to export.
return
If used and set to true, var_export() will return the variable representation instead of outputting it.
Return
Returns the variable representation when the return parameter is used and evaluates to true. Otherwise, this function will return null.
Examples
1 · value · bool
<? $value = false; var_export($value); ?>
false
2 · value · int
<? $value = 0; var_export($value); ?>
0
3 · value · float
<? $value = 0.0; var_export($value); ?>
0.0
4 · value · string
<? $value = "0"; var_export($value); ?>
'0'
5 · value · array
<? $value = array(0, 1, array(0, 1)); var_export($value); ?>
array ( 0 => 0, 1 => 1, 2 => array ( 0 => 0, 1 => 1, ), )
6 · value · object · standard class
<? $value = new stdclass; $value->var = 0; var_export($value); ?>
(object) array( 'var' => 0, )
7 · value · object · custom class
<? class myclass { public $var; } $value = new myclass; $value->var = 0; var_export($value); ?>
\myclass::__set_state(array( 'var' => 0, ))
8 · return · false
<? class myclass { public $var; } $value = new myclass; $value->var = 0; $return = false; $output = var_export($value, $return); echo PHP_EOL . "output:" . PHP_EOL; var_export($output); ?>
\myclass::__set_state(array( 'var' => 0, )) output: NULL
9 · return · true
<? class myclass { public $var; } $value = new myclass; $value->var = 0; $return = true; $output = var_export($value, $return); echo "output:" . PHP_EOL . $output; ?>
output: \myclass::__set_state(array( 'var' => 0, ))