PHP display a readable array

Question

I see manual of php.net and see sortie of examples, when use var_dump and others commands for see examples.

All examples sort with pre style.

But on my own server I see same examples on only one line

var_dump($a);

On manual see->

array(3) {
[0]=>
int(1)
[1]=>
int(2)
[2]=>
array(3) {
[0]=>
string(1) "a"
[1]=>
string(1) "b"
[2]=>
string(1) "c"
}
}

On my server I see:

array(3) {[0]=>int(1) [1]=>int(2) [2]=>array(3) {[0]=>string(1) "a" [1]=>string(1) "b" [2]=>string(1) "c"}}

I think this is a runtime option, which I can change, but I'm not sure. So how can I get the output in the same format as in the manual?

That's not PHP, that's the browser you're dumping the output to. If you want the browser to display it nicely, you'll have to wrap appropriate html around the vardump output... — Marc B
– Marc B, Commented May 21, 2015 at 15:58
If you have xdebug installed/enabled then the output will be formatted automatically — DarkBee
– DarkBee, Commented May 21, 2015 at 17:15

Rizier123 · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-21 15:56:01Z

5

You are probably looking for the pre tag, which will give you a nice formatted output. Just print it before you use var_dump();, e.g.

echo "<pre>";
var_dump($arr);
echo "</pre>";

Example input/output:

$arr = [1, 2, 3];

with pre tag:

array(3) {
  [0]=>
  int(1)
  [1]=>
  int(2)
  [2]=>
  int(3)
}

without pre tag:

array(3) { [0]=> int(1) [1]=> int(2) [2]=> int(3) }

answered May 21, 2015 at 15:56

Rizier123

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4 Comments

abkrim Over a year ago

Well i use this solution. But I question it's diferent. My poor english not explain question clearly. Aprecite your response.

Rizier123 Over a year ago

@abkrim What else is then your question? If it is a runtime option? The answer would be no.

Rizier123 Over a year ago

@abkrim And your question is why the output is formatted differently than yours?

abkrim Over a year ago

Ohh my goog... i see code of web page, and put <pre></pre> tags... I apologize for inconvenients. Not expert on php. Best regards

Michael Walter · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-21 17:12:20Z

I crated this function for this case.

function echo_array($array,$name = '')
{
    $debug = debug_backtrace();
    $file = $debug[0]['file'];
    $line = $debug[0]['line'];
    $array = "<pre>".print_r($array,true)."</pre>";
    ?>
    <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="background-color:white;">
      <tr>
        <td align="left">
          <fieldset>
            <legend>
              <?=$name?> in: <?=$file?>:<?=$line?>
            </legend>
            <?=$array?>
          </fieldset>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>
    <?
}

With print_r() can you pass the array and the second parameter says that it should be return instead of printed out.

I use the debug information to get where this function was called because sometimes I have to many of them, that it can get confusing. You can also set a name for it to determine what was echoed ;)

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