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# sscanf

(PHP 4 )

sscanf -- Parses input from a string according to a format

## Description

``mixed sscanf` (string str, string format [, string var1...])`

The function sscanf() is the input analog of printf(). sscanf() reads from the string `str` and interprets it according to the specified `format`. If only two parameters were passed to this function, the values parsed will be returned as an array.

Example 1. sscanf() Example
    // getting the serial number
    $serial = sscanf("SN/2350001","SN/%d");
    // and the date of manufacturing
    $mandate = "January 01 2000";
    list($month, $day, $year) = sscanf($mandate,"%s %d %d");
    echo "Item $serial was manufactured on: $year-".substr($month,0,3)."-$day\n";

If optional parameters are passed, the function will return the number of assigned values. The optional parameters must be passed by reference.

Example 2. sscanf() - using optional parameters
    // get author info and generate DocBook entry
    $auth = "24\tLewis Carroll";
    $n = sscanf($auth,"%d\t%s %s", &$id, &$first, &$last);
    echo "<author id='$id'>
        <firstname>$first</firstname>
        <surname>$last</surname>
    </author>\n";

See also: fscanf(), printf(), and sprintf().

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