Returning arrays in a function

[ffoeg]

Hi all.

I have this really annoying problem in a PHP script. I have a function that checks a number of HTML input fields for errors. When it finds an error, a variable called

$error

that is set to true.

Then, at the end of the script, there is an

if

statement that checks to see if

$error

is true. If it is true, then the function returns false, as well as returning

$error_msg

, which is an array.

The problem I have is that the function does not seem to be returning the array. It returns the false just perfectly, but it refuses to return the array.

I hope this is enough info to work on, and I really appreciate any help.

Thanks*g

[tomda]

I may be wrong, but from memory, to return an array using a function, you must do the following

$myarray = myarrayfunction();

[ffoeg]

So what you're saying, is that a variable must be assigned to the function? If that is what you're saying, I have tried that already. It still doesn't seem to work.

[RonPK]

If it is true, then the function returns false, as well as returning $error_msg, which is an array.

That's simply not possible: a function cannot return more than one value. Have your function first set $error_msg (use

global

), and then return true and false.

[ffoeg]

Okaaaay.

So I could use a global

$error_msg

for any error messages, except I must clear it out first when needed.

Would it be possible to maybe just return the array, and then check to see if it exists? So that would mean without returning a false or true.

Thanks for the help :)

[coopster]

You can return a list from a function [php.net].

function myFunction1() 
{ 
  $var = 'MyVariable'; 
  $array = array( 
    'one' => '001', 
    'two' => '002' 
  ); 
  return array($var, $array); 
} 
list($returnedVar, $returnedArray) = myFunction1(); 
print '<pre>'; 
  print $returnedVar . "\n"; 
  print_r($returnedArray); 
print '</pre>'; 
exit;

[RonPK]

Sure.

$myarray = myarrayfunction(); 
if ($myarray) { 
 // things seem OK 
} else { 
 // show error message 
}

where I said 'return true and false', please read 'return true or false' ...