<p>In php, I often need to map a variable using an array ... but I can not seem to be able to do this in a one liner. c.f. example:</p>

<pre><code>// the following results in an error:
echo array('a','b','c')[$key];

// this works, using an unnecessary variable:
$variable = array('a','b','c');
echo $variable[$key];
</code></pre>

<p>This is a minor problem, but it keeps bugging every once in a while ... I don't like the fact, that I use a variable for nothing ;)</p>

I wouldn't bother about that extra variable, really. If you want, though, you could also remove it from memory after you've used it:
```
```
$variable = array('a','b','c');
echo $variable[$key];
unset($variable);
```
```
Or, you could write a small function:
```
```
function indexonce(&$ar, $index) {
  return $ar[$index];
}
```
```
and call this with:
```
```
$something = indexonce(array('a', 'b', 'c'), 2);
```
```
The array should be destroyed automatically now.