assign integer value to string

[AntonyRayan]

while saving in database, if I save A it shouldnot save as A, it should save as 1, for b as 2, it should continue till 26.
How it is possible?

[minitauros]

What about something like:

<?php
$letters = range('a', 'z');
$numbers = range(0, 26);

echo 'Value before: ' . $value . '<br>';
$value = strtolower($value); // The value in which you want to replace stuff.
$value = str_replace($letters, $numbers);
echo 'Value after: ' . $value . '<br>';

[AntonyRayan]

How to use default as defined in PHP myadmin

[AntonyRayan]

Thank you minitauros

[diafol]

Shouldn't the range be range(1,26) ?

Here's my take...

function convert($value)
{
    $keys = range("A","Z");
    $values = range(1, 26);
    $falseValue = 0; //or false or null etc- decide
    $conv = array_combine($keys,$values);
    $value = strtoupper($value); //remove this if not req'd
    return (isset($conv[$value])) ? $conv[$value] : $falseValue;
}

$val = 'C';
$myVal = convert($val);
echo "'$val' gives = $myVal <br />";

Non-array functions tend to be quicker though.

[AntonyRayan]

Then how to do?

[minitauros]

You're right, my bad. You cannot set it as a default in PHPMyAdmin/MySQL. You will either have to create a stored procedure for it or edit the data you save every time you save it using PHP (I'd suggest the latter option).

[diafol]

I was confused too as this is posted in the PHP forum. If this has to be a MySQL flavoured SQL solution, it should be posted to the Databases > MySQL forum

[minitauros]

Non-array functions tend to be quicker though.

What do you mean, exactly?

[AntonyRayan]

Ok Thank you for both of you

[diafol]

What do you mean, exactly?

Your string functions should be faster than my array_combine(). However thinking about it, you're using arrays in your string functions too, so not sure. Be interesting to do a time comparison.

[minitauros]

Ah, yes, I'd be curious to know that as well.

[diafol]

Here's the test...

$start = microtime(true);
function convert($value)
{
    $keys = range("A","Z");
    $values = range(1, 26);
    $falseValue = 0; //or false or null etc- decide
    $conv = array_combine($keys,$values);
    $value = strtoupper($value); //remove this if not req'd
    return (isset($conv[$value])) ? $conv[$value] : $falseValue;
}

echo convert('C');
$end = microtime(true);

echo "<br /><br />$end - $start = " . ($end - $start) . "<br /><br />";

$start = microtime(true);
$letters = range('a', 'z');
$numbers = range(1, 26);
$value = strtolower('C'); // The value in which you want to replace stuff.
$value = str_replace($letters, $numbers,$value);
echo $value;

$end = microtime(true);

echo "<br /><br />$end - $start = " . ($end - $start);

Nothing in it. BTW - you need to place $value in the str_replace()

[minitauros]

I've slightly edited the test, and it resulted - as you suspected - in that my solution is twice as fast on average.

function convert($value)
{
    $keys = range("A","Z");
    $values = range(1, 26);
    $falseValue = 0; //or false or null etc- decide
    $conv = array_combine($keys,$values);
    $value = strtoupper($value); //remove this if not req'd
    return (isset($conv[$value])) ? $conv[$value] : $falseValue;
}

$start = microtime(true);
for ($i = 0; $i <= 100000; $i++) {
    convert('C');
}
$end_1 = microtime(true);
echo "<br /><br />$end_1 - $start = " . number_format(($end_1 - $start), 3, '.', '');
echo '<div style="clear: both; height: 0px; height: 2px; background-color: #000; border-top: 1px dashed #fff; border-bottom: 1px dashed #fff;"></div>';


$start = microtime(true);
$letters = range('a', 'z');
$numbers = range(1, 26);
$value = strtolower('C'); // The value in which you want to replace stuff.
for ($i = 0; $i <= 100000; $i++) {
    str_replace($letters, $numbers, $value);
}
$end_2 = microtime(true);
echo "<br /><br />$end_2 - $start = " . number_format(($end_2 - $start), 3, '.', '');

$percentage = number_format(min($end_1, $end_2) / max($end_1, $end_2) * 100, 2, '.', '');
echo "<p>Solution " . ($end_1 > $end_2 ? '2' : '1') . " is $percentage% faster.</p>";

[diafol]

Excellent. I forgot the loop - doh! Thought it was quick - heh heh!

Yes, bravo - one-up for the string manipulation.

[AntonyRayan]

Thank you diafol and minitauros

[diafol]

I love string functions - I can't stop tinkering with them - they're great fun. Here's an example of another one using minitauros' str_replace...

function replace($value, $toCase=null, $in=null, $out=null)
{
    $in = ($in) ? $in : range('A','Z');
    $out = ($out) ? $out : range(1,26);
    if($toCase && in_array($toCase, array('upper','lower')))
        $value = call_user_func( 'strto' . $toCase, $value );
    return str_replace($in, $out, $value);
}

echo replace('A'); //returns 1

echo replace('b'); //returns b

echo replace('b', 'upper'); //returns 2

echo replace('A', 'lower'); //returns a

echo replace('C', null, null, range(0,25)); //returns 2 as expected

[minitauros]

What would it matter if you either upper- or lowercase the whole string before converting it? The only thing that matters here is the output, right? :) Which would be the same regardless of if you either upper- or lowercase the input value. (I can't think of an example in which I would find it useful, do you have one?)

[diafol]

Changing case before is also an option of course. Apples and pears. I offered that as a plaything - just to keep the client code as uncluttered as possible.

[minitauros]

Oh yeah I wasn't trying to say anything bad about your code, I was just really wondering if it would matter uppercasing or lowercasing the whole string before converting it :).

[diafol]

Oh yeah I wasn't trying to say anything bad about your code

I realise that, don't worry. I've got a hide like a hippo anyway! I can't see it matters too much about the "placing of the casing".