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  <refentry id="function.constant">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>constant</refname>
    <refpurpose>Returns the value of a constant</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
     <methodsynopsis>
      <type>mixed</type><methodname>constant</methodname>
      <methodparam><type>string</type><parameter>name</parameter></methodparam>
     </methodsynopsis>
    <simpara>
     <function>constant</function> will return the value of the
     constant indicated by <parameter>name</parameter>.
    </simpara>
    <simpara>
     <function>constant</function> is useful if you need to retrieve
     the value of a constant, but do not know its name.  i.e. It is
     stored in a variable or returned by a function.
    </simpara>
    <para>
     <example>
      <title><function>constant</function> example</title>
      <programlisting role="php">
<![CDATA[
<?php

define("MAXSIZE", 100);

echo MAXSIZE;
echo constant("MAXSIZE"); // same thing as the previous line

?>
]]>
      </programlisting>
     </example>
    </para>
    <para>
     See also <function>define</function>,
     <function>defined</function> and the section on <link
     linkend="language.constants">Constants</link>.
    </para>
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

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