php-doc-en/reference/misc/functions/define.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
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<refentry xml:id="function.define" xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook">
 <refnamediv>
  <refname>define</refname>
  <refpurpose>Defines a named constant</refpurpose>
 </refnamediv>
 
 <refsect1 role="description">
  &reftitle.description;
  <methodsynopsis>
   <type>bool</type><methodname>define</methodname>
   <methodparam><type>string</type><parameter>name</parameter></methodparam>
   <methodparam><type>mixed</type><parameter>value</parameter></methodparam>
   <methodparam choice="opt"><type>bool</type><parameter>case_insensitive</parameter></methodparam>
  </methodsynopsis>
  <para>
   Defines a named constant at runtime.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1 role="parameters">
  &reftitle.parameters;
  <para>
   <variablelist>
    <varlistentry>
     <term><parameter>name</parameter></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
       The name of the constant.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
    <varlistentry>
     <term><parameter>value</parameter></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
       The value of the constant; only scalar and <type>null</type> values are allowed. 
       Scalar values are <type>integer</type>, 
       <type>float</type>, <type>string</type> or <type>boolean</type> values.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
    <varlistentry>
     <term><parameter>case_insensitive</parameter></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
       If set to &true;, the constant will be defined case-insensitive. 
       The default behaviour is case-sensitive; i.e. 
       <literal>CONSTANT</literal> and <literal>Constant</literal> represent
       different values.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
   </variablelist>
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1 role="returnvalues">
  &reftitle.returnvalues;
  <para>
   &return.success;
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1 role="examples">
  &reftitle.examples;
  <para>
   <example>
    <title>Defining Constants</title>
    <programlisting role="php">
<![CDATA[
<?php
define("CONSTANT", "Hello world.");
echo CONSTANT; // outputs "Hello world."
echo Constant; // outputs "Constant" and issues a notice.

define("GREETING", "Hello you.", true);
echo GREETING; // outputs "Hello you."
echo Greeting; // outputs "Hello you."

?>
]]>
    </programlisting>
   </example>
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1 role="seealso">
  &reftitle.seealso;
  <para>
   <simplelist>
    <member><function>defined</function></member>
    <member><function>constant</function></member>
    <member>The section on <link linkend="language.constants">Constants</link></member>
   </simplelist>
  </para>
 </refsect1>

</refentry>

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