php man page for array_shift

ARRAY_SHIFT(3)								 1							    ARRAY_SHIFT(3)

array_shift - Shift an element off the beginning of array

SYNOPSIS
       mixed array_shift (array  &$array)

DESCRIPTION
       array_shift(3)  shifts  the  first value of the $array off and returns it, shortening the $array by one element and moving everything down.
       All numerical array keys will be modified to start counting from zero while literal keys won't be touched.

       Note

	      This function will reset(3) the array pointer of the input array after use.

PARAMETERS
	      o $array
		- The input array.

RETURN VALUES
	Returns the shifted value, or NULL if $array is empty or is not an array.

EXAMPLES
       Example #1

	      array_shift(3) example

	      <?php
	      $stack = array("orange", "banana", "apple", "raspberry");
	      $fruit = array_shift($stack);
	      print_r($stack);
	      ?>

	      The above example will output:

	      Array
	      (
		  [0] => banana
		  [1] => apple
		  [2] => raspberry
	      )

	       and orange will be assigned to $fruit.

SEE ALSO
       array_unshift(3), array_push(3), array_pop(3).

PHP Documentation Group 													    ARRAY_SHIFT(3)