[SOLVED] Help with a function call

[EchoFool]

I have a function i am trying to call in a script but i get an undefined variable every time and I don't know why... this is what i have..:

 

<?php
function collect(){
$Get = mysql_query("SELECT Username from users WHERE UserID='{$_SESSION['UserID']}'")
Or die(mysql_error());
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($Get);
$Username = $row['Username'];
}

collect();
Echo $Username
?>

 

My error:

Notice: Use of undefined constant collect - assumed 'collect
Notice: Undefined variable: Username in test.php on line 15

 

 

What did i do wrong?

[jjacquay712]

Try this:

<?php
function collect(){
$Get = mysql_query("SELECT Username from users WHERE UserID='{$_SESSION['UserID']}'")
Or die(mysql_error());
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($Get);
return $row['Username'];
}


echo collect();
?>

Variables inside functions are destroyed after the function is run, but you can return the user name variable...

[EchoFool]

Variables inside functions are destroyed after the function is run, but you can return the user name variable...

 

Hmm is there no way to load variables in a function to pass them back to use at my own disposal when needs be? Example is shown below:

 

<?php
function collect(){
$Get = mysql_query("SELECT Username,Level from users WHERE UserID='{$_SESSION['UserID']}'")
Or die(mysql_error());
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($Get);
$Username = $row['Username'];
$Level = $row['Level'];
}

collect();
Echo $Username;
?>
<br><br>
<p align=right>
<?php
Echo 'Level '.$Level;
?>
</p>
?>

 

Obviously from what you said variables are destroyed so is there any work arounds ?

[Zane]

you can make them global...not the most secure of programming strategies, but it will work

function collect(){
$Get = mysql_query("SELECT Username,Level from users WHERE UserID='{$_SESSION['UserID']}'")
Or die(mysql_error());
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($Get);
global $Username = $row['Username'];
global $Level = $row['Level'];
}

collect();
Echo $Username;

[trq]

you can make them global

 

Don't do that.

[EchoFool]

you can make them global

 

Don't do that.

 

Why is that then ? And im assuming if thats the only way and it's not recommended I can't place my query in a function to call variables when needed. Thats a shame, maybe a nice work around will be store php scripts in database and call them with a query. Either that or I'm going too over the top with reducing script sizes hehe

[.josh]

just return the variable (or variables, as an array) and assign the function call to something.

 

function something () {
   $array = array('a','b','c');
   return $array;
}

$foobar = something();

echo $foobar[0]; // output: a
echo $foobar[1]; // output: b
echo $foobar[2]; // output: c

[EchoFool]

Thanks will do that.... by the way if possible why is global variables not a good idea?

[Zane]

your best bet in this would be to return your $row array ... from collect like so

function collect(){
$Get = mysql_query("SELECT Username from users WHERE UserID='{$_SESSION['UserID']}'")
Or die(mysql_error());
return $row = mysql_fetch_assoc($Get);
}
$stuff = collect();
echo $stuff['Username'];

 

Also since you're only searching for one thing in the database, you might as well just use mysql_result

so ....

function collect(){
$Get = mysql_query("SELECT Username from users WHERE UserID='{$_SESSION['UserID']}'")
Or die(mysql_error());
return $theUsername = mysql_result($Get, 0);
}

$thePersonsUsername = collect();
echo $thePersonsUsername

[Zane]

Thanks will do that.... by the way if possible why is global variables not a good idea?

It's just bad practice.

 

This page describes it pretty well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_variable

[EchoFool]

Thanks will do that.... by the way if possible why is global variables not a good idea?

It's just bad practice.

 

This page describes it pretty well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_variable

 

Thank you