I'm getting the correct output from the following query: > $selectLabelQuery = "SELECT short_label > FROM config > ORDER BY meter_num"; > > $resultSelectLabelQuery = mysql_query($selectLabelQuery) or > die("can't select short label"); > which is processed here: > $counter = 1; > while($row=mysql_fetch_assoc($resultSelectLabelQuery)) > { But the variable variable thing does not seem to be working, either with or without the $ for the 'counter' inside the brackets. > ${$sLabel_ . $counter} = $row['short_label']; > $counter++; > } When I WATCH $counter and $row['short_label'], their values are 1 through 24, and short_label_1 through short_label_24, respectively, so the problem is in this part ... ${$sLabel_ . $counter} or even when like this ${$sLabel_ . counter} . TIA, David