PHP Manual
Prev |  | Next

# explode

(PHP 3, PHP 4 , PHP 5)

explode -- Split a string by string

## Description

array explode ( string separator, string string [, int limit])

Returns an array of strings, each of which is a substring of `string` formed by splitting it on boundaries formed by the string `separator`. If `limit` is set, the returned array will contain a maximum of `limit` elements with the last element containing the rest of `string`.

If `separator` is an empty string (""), explode() will return `FALSE`. If `separator` contains a value that is not contained in `string`, then explode() will return an array containing `string`.

Although implode() can, for historical reasons, accept its parameters in either order, explode() cannot. You must ensure that the `separator` argument comes before the `string` argument.

> Note: The `limit` parameter was added in PHP 4.0.1

Example 1. explode() examples
`<?php // Example 1 $pizza = "piece1 piece2 piece3 piece4 piece5 piece6"; $pieces = explode(" ", $pizza); echo $pieces[0]; // piece1 echo $pieces[1]; // piece2 // Example 2 $data = "foo:*:1023:1000::/home/foo:/bin/sh"; list($user, $pass, $uid, $gid, $gecos, $home, $shell) = explode(":", $data); echo $user; // foo echo $pass; // * ?>`

See also preg_split(), spliti(), split(), and implode().

Prev | Home | Next
echo | Up | fprintf