PHP Functions

[Thauwa]

Hey guys.

Can anyone tell me what this means?

function foo 
{
}

 

It is basic php but I don't get it. Should it be called for execution, or does it work automatically, or both?

The php manual at w3schools and php.net are too tough for me. That's why I posted here.

 

Thanks!

 

[trq]

functions.

[denno020]

It's normally written as

function foo(){

}

You use the parenthesis to pass variables into the function, so if you have a function to count something, you might pass a variable that represents the maximum count, so the function will be finished when this value is reached.

 

Functions need to be called, they won't just run.

 

That's a pretty basic explanation.

 

Denno

[Thauwa]

Thanks.

But this confuses me. Pardon my impertinence.

Please tell me whether I am right.

 

 

<?php 
function €() 
{ 
   echo 'foo'; 
} 
?> 

 

After defining this function, when I type somewhere

a();

Is "foo" echoed? Or should I type

echo a();

?

 

 

In simple, are functions like variables that can store other commands instead of strings?

 

Thanks people. I really appreciate your help.

[denno020]

I'm not sure the name of the symbol that you have used as the name of that function, but it appears that you've then called it a lol.

 

Anyways, yes, wherever you call

a();

 

foo will be echoed.

 

I guess, in a way, it's almost like an include.. Replacing

a();

with

echo 'foo';

whereever a() is written.

 

I wouldn't think of functions as variables though. Think of them as blocks of code that will acheive a similar goal (usually indicated by the name of the function).

So for example, your function should have been called

printFoo()

Whenever you call printFoo(), foo will be printed to the browser..

 

Making more sense?

 

Denno

[Thauwa]

Oh WOW!

You really clarified the matter for me.

 

Trust me, you've explained it to me better that php.net and w3schools did.

 

phew.

 

Thanks denno and thorpe (for unlocking the topic)!

[denno020]

Ok cool. Wasn't sure if I was making it easy to understand or not, but I'm glad it was .

 

Denno