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{ php }  
  echo_var
date 2004
update 2006
code <?php
function echo_var(&$var,$dump=false) {
    if (!
is_array($var)&&!is_object($var)) { echo '<br>'var_dump($var); return; }
    if(
$dump) { echo '<pre>'var_dump($var); echo '</pre>'; }
    else { echo 
'<pre>'print_r($var); echo '</pre>'; }
}
?>
description my most needed function :)
prints a complete array readable or the type and value of a variable
because the variable is passed by reference you can't print a value directly
syntax <?php
echo_var
(mixed var [, bool dump]);
?>
explanation set bool true if you want use dump instead of print_r on arrays, theres nothing to tell, just include it to your project and check what you need to know...
some examples:
<?php
echo_var
($var);
$var false;
echo_var($var);
$var 2;
echo_var($var);
$var 2.76;
echo_var($var);
$var 'Hallo';
echo_var($var);
$var '';
echo_var($var);
$var 0;
echo_var($var);
$var = array('lala','lolo','ha'=>'ho','ha'=>array('a'=>'Aa','b'=>'Bb','123',456),'Niko',42);
echo_var($var);
$var = array('lala','ha'=>array('a'=>'Aa',456),'Niko');
echo_var($var,true);
?>



NULL
bool(false)
int(2)
float(2.76)
string(5) "Hallo"
string(0) ""
int(0)
Array
(
    [0] => lala
    [1] => lolo
    [ha] => Array
        (
            [a] => Aa
            [b] => Bb
            [0] => 123
            [1] => 456
        )

    [2] => Niko
    [3] => 42
)
array(3) {
  [0]=>
  string(4) "lala"
  ["ha"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["a"]=>
    string(2) "Aa"
    [0]=>
    int(456)
  }
  [1]=>
  string(4) "Niko"
}