Use eval, like this: eval('$str_expanded = "' . str_replace('"', '\\"', $str) . '";'); The str_replace is used because you could have a " inside $str and it would break the string, if you are sure the $str has no " inside you can omit it. Jonathan On Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 5:43 PM, Daniel Kolbo<kolb0057@xxxxxxx> wrote: > Hello, > > Is it possible to force a string to expand variable names after the > string has been set and before the variable's been defined without > having to do a string replace or preg_replace? > > for example, > <?php > $str = "some string and some \$var plus other stuff"; > echo $str."<br />"; > $var = "Variable Contents"; > echo $str."<br />"; > $str_expanded = $str;//would like this to expand $var into $str_expanded > echo $str_expanded."<br />"; > ?> > > Thanks, > dK > ` > > -- > PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > > -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php