Convert PHP array string into an array

Question

I have an array:

$myArray = array('key1'=>'value1', 'key2'=>'value2');

I save it as a variable:

$fileContents = var_dump($myArray);

How can convert the variable back to use as a regular array?

echo $fileContents[0]; //output: value1
echo $fileContents[1]; //output: value2

Answer 1

I think you might want to look into serialize and unserialize.

$myArray = array('key1'=>'value1', 'key2'=>'value2');
$serialized = serialize($myArray);
$myNewArray = unserialize($serialized);
print_r($myNewArray); // Array ( [key1] => value1 [key2] => value2 )