passing array as parameter

[nicc9]

hi all.

i kinda know one can't pass an array as a parameter, as it has to be text, or an interger (doesn't it?).

i got this piece of code that i want to turn into a function. basically i collect a lot of data related to the same object, and then i insert the info onto a database.

the fields are like 20, so having 20 parameters sounds a little crazy, and would make it easy to make some mistake.

the only solution i thought about would be to put all the data into an array, using it from the function as a global var, and the parameter would just be the array name. kind like this:

function function_name($array_name) {
global $array_name;
// do stuff
}

$array_name = array();
$array_name['foo'] = "some value";
$array_name['val'] = "some other value";

function_name($array_name);

what do you guys think?

is there a better way?

thanks!

[optl]

You can pass an array as a parameter.

[Php_penguin]

the whole array as parameter thing is more of a JavaScript thing, and most JavaScript parsers throw a right moody about even trying.

PHP does not object, although I am not sure if this is because of a difference in the way that PHP handles arrays, or merely that PHP is nicer.

[Raju Gautam]

hi all.
the only solution i thought about would be to put all the data into an array, using it from the function as a global var, and the parameter would just be the array name. kind like this:

function function_name($array_name) {
global $array_name;
// do stuff
}

$array_name = array();
$array_name['foo'] = "some value";
$array_name['val'] = "some other value";

function_name($array_name);

As far as i know, yes you can pass the whole array to the function. And if you pass the array there is no meaning of making the array global. If you make the array global, then you don't have to pass as parameter to the function since you can directly use it.

If you mean that the changes in the array inside the function should come back to the main system, you can pass the array as reference with & like this:

    $arr = array();
    $arr[0] = 1;
    
    function myfunction(&p$arr){
        $parr[1] = 2;
        // do other actions
    }
    
    myfunction($arr);
    
    print_r($arr); 

[kyberfabrikken]

If you make the array global, then you don't have to pass as parameter to the function since you can directly use it.

While this is technically true, it's generally consider very bad practise to pass messages through global variables. As a matter of fact, almost any use of global variables is a bad practise.

If you mean that the changes in the array inside the function should come back to the main system, you can pass the array as reference with & like this:

Again a rather bad practise; Using references can make your application very unpredictable. Have your function return the array instead.

the whole array as parameter thing is more of a JavaScript thing, and most JavaScript parsers throw a right moody about even trying.

I don't know where you got that idea from?

[Php_penguin]

i got that idea from having javascript piss me off for over an hour because i was trying to pass an array.

It was an array with about 40 keys, numbered 0-39 of course, and FF wouldn't let me pass it to a function from within another function

[kyberfabrikken]

i got that idea from having javascript piss me off for over an hour because i was trying to pass an array.

It was an array with about 40 keys, numbered 0-39 of course, and FF wouldn't let me pass it to a function from within another function

Javascript can be quite un-cooperative at times, but there is no preventing you from passing an array as parameter. Most likely you had some minor syntctical error in your script. I highly recommend that you install the firebug extension if you haven't already -- It's an invaluable tool for messing with Javascript.

[nicc9]

thanks, all!

I guess I did, have some minor error in the code and that made me think one couldn't pass an array as an argument.

once again, thanks for your help.

n.