# PHP count_chars() Function

PHP String Reference

## Example

Return a string with all the different characters used in "Hello World!" (mode 3):

<?php
$str = "Hello World!";
echo count_chars($str,3);
?>
Run example »

## Definition and Usage

The count_chars() function returns information about characters used in a string (for example, how many times an ASCII character occurs in a string, or which characters that have been used or not been used in a string).

## Syntax

count_chars(string,mode)

Parameter | Description
--- | ---
string | Required. The string to be checked

mode

Optional. Specifies the return modes. 0 is default. The different return modes are:

- 0 - an array with the ASCII value as key and number of occurrences as value
- 1 - an array with the ASCII value as key and number of occurrences as value, only lists occurrences greater than zero
- 2 - an array with the ASCII value as key and number of occurrences as value, only lists occurrences equal to zero are listed
- 3 - a string with all the different characters used
- 4 - a string with all the unused characters

## Technical Details

Return Value: | Depending on the specified mode parameter
PHP Version: | 4+

## More Examples

## Example 1

Return a string with all the unused characters in "Hello World!" (mode 4):

<?php
$str = "Hello World!";
echo count_chars($str,4);
?>
Run example »

## Example 2

In this example we will use count_chars() with mode 1 to check the string. Mode 1 will return an array with the ASCII value as key and how many times it occurred as value:

<?php
$str = "Hello World!";
print_r(count_chars($str,1));
?>
Run example »

## Example 3

Another example of counting how many times an ASCII character occurs in a string:

<?php
$str = "PHP is pretty fun!!";
$strArray = count_chars($str,1);
foreach ($strArray as $key=>$value)
{
echo "The character <b>'".chr($key)."'</b> was found $value time(s)<br>";
}
?>
Run example »

PHP String Reference

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