php - Assigning values to a multi-dimensional array for checkers -

my question instead of using coordinates move can assign numbers , letters can move values

edit: outputting board html 8x8 table

$square = array( //    b c d e f g h                     0 array(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0),                1 array(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0),                2 array(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0),                3 array(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0),                4 array(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0),                5 array(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0),                6 array(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0),                7 array(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0), ); 

so when user inputs : from: f1 to: g2 pieces move

wouldn't better this

array ( 'a' => array ( [0] => 0 [1] => 0 [2] => 0 [3] => 0 [4] => 0 [5] => 0 [6] => 0 [7] => 0 )          'b' => array ( [0] => 0 [1] => 0 [2] => 0 [3] => 0 [4] => 0 [5] => 0 [6] => 0 [7] => 0 )          'c' => array ( [0] => 0 [1] => 0 [2] => 0 [3] => 0 [4] => 0 [5] => 0 [6] => 0 [7] => 0 )          'd' => array ( [0] => 0 [1] => 0 [2] => 0 [3] => 0 [4] => 0 [5] => 0 [6] => 0 [7] => 0 )          'e' => array ( [0] => 0 [1] => 0 [2] => 0 [3] => 0 [4] => 0 [5] => 0 [6] => 0 [7] => 0 )          'f' => array ( [0] => 0 [1] => 0 [2] => 0 [3] => 0 [4] => 0 [5] => 0 [6] => 0 [7] => 0 )          'g' => array ( [0] => 0 [1] => 0 [2] => 0 [3] => 0 [4] => 0 [5] => 0 [6] => 0 [7] => 0 )          'h' => array ( [0] => 0 [1] => 0 [2] => 0 [3] => 0 [4] => 0 [5] => 0 [6] => 0 [7] => 0 )       );  

parsesquarefrom

function parsesquarefrom() {     if (strlen($square) != 2) {     return false;     }      $coords = array(ord('a') - ord($square[0]),             $square[1] - 1);       // perform bounds-checking.     if ($coords[0] < 0 || $coords[0] > 7 || $coords[1] < 0 || $coords[1] > 7) {     return false;     }      return $coords; } $coords = parsesquare($square); if ($coords === false) {     // invalid input, handle case. } else {     $piece = $board[$coords[0]][$coords[1]]; // example } 

and parsesquareto

function parsesquareto() {     if (strlen($square1) != 2) {     return false;     }    $coords1 = array(ord('a') - ord($square1[0]),             $square1[1] - 1);       // perform bounds-checking.     if ($coords1[0] < 0 || $coords1[0] > 7 || $coords1[1] < 0 || $coords1[1] > 7) {     return false;     }      return $coords1; }  $coords1 = parsesquare($square); if ($coords1 === false) {     // invalid input, handle case. } else {     $piece = $board[$coords1[0]][$coords1[1]]; // example } 

can use code

    $board[$coords1[0]-1][$coords1[1]+1] = $board[$coords[0]][$coords[1]];     $board[$coords[0]][$coords[1]] = 0;      //eating action     $board[$coords1[0]][$coords1[1]] = 0;     $board[$coords1[0]-2][$coords1[1]+2] = $board[$coords[0]][$coords[1]];      //if player 'up' value of $way 1       $board[$x+(-1*$way)][$y+(1*$way)] = $board[$coords[0]][$coords[1]]; // position 2,2 becomes 1,3    //if player not 'up' value of $way -1       $board[$x+(-1*$way)][$y+(1*$way)] = $board[$coords[0]][$coords[1]]; // position 2,2 becomes 3,1 

or $piece = $board[$coords1[0]][$coords1[1]]; cannot used

yes: parse input string x,y pair. example:

function parsesquare($square) {     if (strlen($square) != 2) {         return false;     }      $coords = array(ord('a') - ord($square[0]),                     $square[1] - 1);      // perform bounds-checking.     if ($coords[0] < 0 || $coords[0] > 7 || $coords[1] < 0 || $coords[1] > 7) {         return false;     }      return $coords; } 

so given square string $square = "f5";

$coords = parsesquare($square); if ($coords === false) {     // invalid input, handle case. } else {     $piece = $board[$coords[0]][$coords[1]]; // example }