I occured a similar error when using (also on lx-machine)

while ($db->next_record())
{
/* Fix for php 4.2.1 */
	$foo=$db->f('RIS_VSR_FK');
	$curstate[$foo] = $db->f('RIS_ALLOWED');
/* End Fix
	$curmain[$db->f('RIS_VSR_FK')] = $db->f('RIS_ISMAIN'); <-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
	$defmainvs = $db->f('RIS_ISMAIN') == 'YES' ? $db->f('RIS_VSR_FK') : $defmainvs;
}

Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR, expecting ']' in xxx on line 166 <-!!!!!!!!!!!! this line

That means that accessing an object in a class instance and using this as the arrays index also does not work, using a simple variable does work.

Probably there is a major bug in the parser (priority?), because the workaround with $array[{$array_b[1][2]}], which I would expect that first {$array_b[1][2]} is evaluated and then $array[$evaluation_result] gets the error that no {} are allowed. I am not sure this is a new bug, but I remember in 4.0.x it always worked fine.

I seem to be getting this error also in 4.2.1 running on SunOS - is this possible?

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We need a self-contained and SHORT example script which
shows the problem..

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the status of the bug back to "Open".

I got the same strange Fatal error (using Windows XP, PHP PHP 5.0.4):
Fatal error: Cannot use [] for reading in ... on line 82

[php]
if ($insert->check($_POST['value']) === FALSE)
{
   $error[] == 'Error'; // line 82
}
[/php]

Zend Developer didn't give any warnings so there shouldn't be any syntax mistakse in that PHP file.

Seems to be a class related bug, here is a simple test-case:

<?php
// php 4.3.9 - CentOS 4.3 - oliver@samera.com.py - 18-apr-2006

// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
class cache_db {
	var $resultado_array;

	function cache_db() {
		$this->$resultado_array = array();
	}

	// abre un archivo y lo carga en memoria
	function cache_open() {
		$archivo_array = array(array('1'), array('2'), array('3'));
		$resultado_array = array();

		foreach($archivo_array as $linea) {
			$resultado_array[] = $linea;
			$this->$resultado_array[] = $linea;
		}
	}
}

// without a class
$archivo_array = array(array('1'), array('2'), array('3'));
$resultado_array = array();

foreach($archivo_array as $linea) {
	$resultado_array[] = $linea;
}

?>

I've just had the same problem, from changing a variable from global, to class specific. After some confusion I realised I forgot to remove the $, just like in your example:

$this->$resultado_array[] should be
$this->resultado_array[]

and then it all works fine.

PHP 4.3.4
I got this error when mistakenly used "return $variable[];" instead of "return $variable" in a user defined function.

I've had the same problem. It reported the error in line 26, but the line was ok. I often try entering empty lines - it reveals if the error is somewhere else. The problem with this error is just trying to read something like this:
$somename[]

if you try:
$this=$thatarray[]; 
without putting something between [] you get this error. 

Everything would be ok if PHP reported it in correct line. Please fix that! It would save people ages of looking the code through!

If the problem is not the obvious one
i.e. $x = $my_array[]; which is wrong because empty [] are only for setting, there can be this case(as posted by [18 Apr 2006 7:03pm UTC] oliver at samera dot com dot py)
it is not a bug, but a way how PHP treats calling of variables
simple test case 
class A {
public $field = array();
public $field2 = array();
public function AddToField($fieldname, $item){
$this->$fieldname[] = $item;
}
}
this throws an error because PHP is trying to read fieldname WITH the parenthsis 
so the workaround is to put 
$this->{$fieldname}[]=$item and it is working - it just helps compiler what did you ment with $fieldname.