Data from Array inside a Function - Help!

[John_A]

I thought this would be fairly straightforward but for some reason isn't working.

 

I have an array built from some MySQL data: -

 

$all_products[1] = array(
"title"=>"widget",
"product_code"=>"wid-123",
"colour"=>"blue");  

$all_products[2] = array(
"title"=>"thingy",
"product_code"=>"thi-345",
"colour"=>"red"); 

 

This works fine when used like: -

 

echo 'Product #1 is a ' . $all_products[1]['colour'] . $all_products[1]['title'] . ', code: ' . $all_products[1]['code'];

 

Gives: "Product #1 is a blue widget, code: wid-123"

 

However, if I do this: -

 

function showproductinfo($thisproduct)
{
echo 'Product #' . $thisproduct . ' is a ' . $all_products[$thisproduct]['colour'] . $all_products[$thisproduct]['title'] . ', code: ' . $all_products[$thisproduct]['code'];
}

showproductinfo(1);

 

It gives nothing

 

Can I use a variable passed via a function as the array key in this way? If so, how? And if not, what's the best way to do what I, trying to do?

[Jessica]

Read about variable scope. The problem is the array does not exist within that function.

[ManiacDan]

More specifically, $all_products doesn't exist inside that function.  You must pass ANYTHING you wish to use in a function into that function from the outside.

 

-Dan

[John_A]

Thanks both for your help!

 

I did this: -

 

function showproductinfo($thisproduct){
global $all_products;
echo 'Product #' . $thisproduct . ' is a ' . $all_products[$thisproduct]['colour'] . $all_products[$thisproduct]['title'] . ', code: ' . $all_products[$thisproduct]['code'];
}

showproductinfo(1);

 

Which seems to work. Are there any downsides to this?

[BlueSkyIS]

you should not use globals inside a function. pass the array to the function instead.

 

You must pass ANYTHING you wish to use in a function into that function from the outside.

 

-Dan

[John_A]

pass the array to the function instead.

 

Every time? I'm calling the function 50 times or more on the same page.

[Jessica]

pass the array to the function instead.

 

Every time? I'm calling the function 50 times or more on the same page.

 

Then you're not designing your code efficiently.

[John_A]

Then you're not designing your code efficiently.

 

It's not perfect, but it works. All I'm asking is, is it better to declare the global array variable within the function, or to pass the array to the function?

[sasa]

beter pass index and part of array

[ManiacDan]

If $all_products[$thisproduct] contains the product ID, just pass that.

 

If $all_products[$thisproduct] does not contain the product ID, pass the product ID along with $all_products[$thisproduct].

 

Do not pass the whole array every time if all you're going to be doing is sucking out a single product.

 

-Dan

[John_A]

beter pass index and part of array

 

If $all_products[$thisproduct] contains the product ID, just pass that.

 

If $all_products[$thisproduct] does not contain the product ID, pass the product ID along with $all_products[$thisproduct].

 

Do not pass the whole array every time if all you're going to be doing is sucking out a single product.

 

Thanks for your help! I ended up with this which works great: -

 

function showproductinfo($thisproduct){
echo 'Product #' . $thisproduct['product_id'] . ' is a ' . $thisproduct['colour'] . $thisproduct['title'] . ', code: ' . $thisproduct['code'];
}

showproductinfo($all_products[1]);