- str_repeat: documentation ( source)
<?php
$var1 = str_repeat(" ", 4);
$var2 = str_repeat(" ", 4);
$var1[0] = $var2[0] = "1";
$var1[1] = "2";
$var2[1] = "3";
$var1[2] = $var2[2] = "4";
$var1[3] = $var2[3] = "5";
echo 'Var1: ' . $var1 . ', Var2: ' . $var2;