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20 years ago
i figured i'd add some more functionality to the myRange() functions below.
now you can, besides giving a $step parameter,
1. count backwards
2. count with letters
3. give whatever parameter you want, there's nothing (i know of) that will cause an endless loop (try a negative $step for the previous function....)

<?php
function myRange($num1, $num2, $step=1)
{
    if (is_numeric($num1) && is_numeric($num2))
    {
        //we have a numeric range
        $step = ( abs($step)>0 ? abs($step) : 1 ); //make $step positive
        $dir = ($num1<=$num2 ? 1 : -1); //get the direction
        for($i = (float)$num1; $i*$dir <= $num2*$dir; $i += $step*$dir)
        {
            $temp[] = $i;
        }
    }
    else
    {
        //we have a character range
        $num1=ord((string)$num1); //convert to ascii value
        $num2=ord((string)$num2);
        $step = ( abs($step)>0 ? abs($step) : 1 ); //make $step positive
        $dir = ($num1<=$num2 ? 1 : -1); //get direction
        for($i = $num1; $i*$dir <= $num2*$dir; $i += $step*$dir)
        {
            $temp[] = chr($i);
        }
    }
    return $temp;
}

print_r(myRange( 1, 3, 0.5 )); //you can use fractional steps
print_r(myRange( "a", "k", 3 )); //or count letters
print_r(myRange( "5", "9" )); //numbers are detected even if hidden in strtings
print_r(myRange( "!", "%", 1/pi() )); //or mess around with senseless parameters

?>
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