Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '[', expecting ')' [duplicate]

Question

This question already has answers here:

PHP syntax for dereferencing function result (22 answers)

Closed 8 years ago.

I have this linecode

$media = $dc->thumbnail->attributes()['url'];

runs fine on my local (WAMP) php 5.4.3 but when i host it on my server cpanel then it gives this error

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '[', expecting ')'

the php version on my server is 5.2.17

i dnt see any problem with it, please help

Answer 1

You need to be running PHP 5.4+ to use shorthand arrays

Answer 2

You can't have a php 5.4.3 and a 5.2.17 with a single WAMP installation, but from your error message, i think you are using the older one.

I guess, you are working with SimplXML. In this case, you should not use that line, anyway:

$media = $dc->thumbnail[0]['url'];

Note: $simpleXMLElement->childrenNodeListByName
& $simpleXMLElement['attributeValueByName']