Variable Scope Prob....help please!!

[dayo]

Some help please.  I am trying to modify some files that have the following simplified structure

<?php
include 'a.inc';
include 'b.inc';
?>

a.inc has the following struture
<?php
"A form for User Input"
include 'A1.inc';
include 'A2.inc';
?>

A1.inc has the following struture
<?php
function 1 {
$x = "Value from user input form"
}
?>

A2.inc has the following struture
<?php
function 2 {
$y = $x + 1
}
include 'A2_1.inc';
?>

A2_1.inc has the following struture
<table>
<tr>
<td>"The value of $y"</td>
</tr>
</table>


The files are a bit more complicated than this (Gallery2 photo display software) but this is the basic structure.  I am struggling to get "The value of $y".  Any tips anyone???

Thanks for your help

[btherl]

If you want your variables to be shared between all your files and functions, you can put "global $y" at the top of each function that uses $y.  And global $x at the top of each that uses $x.

Another way is to pass the variable in as function arguments and get them back as return values.  Once your code gets larger you will probably want to do that.

[dayo]

[quote author=btherl link=topic=111365.msg451247#msg451247 date=1160720432]
If you want your variables to be shared between all your files and functions, you can put "global $y" at the top of each function that uses $y.  And global $x at the top of each that uses $x.

Another way is to pass the variable in as function arguments and get them back as return values.  Once your code gets larger you will probably want to do that.
[/quote]

Thanks.  Sorry but a follow on query.  Does it matter that $x & $y are actually arrays?  The code is indeed large...I have just simplified the structure.  Any clues on how I pass the variables across please?

If I will be brazen, can you (or anyone else) illustrate with my example how this can be done?

Thanks for the hints

[btherl]

For scope, it doesn't matter if they are arrays.

Here's an example for passing variables into functions and getting results back:

[code]function increment($x) {
  $x = $x + 1;
  return $x;
}

$x = 1; # This is NOT the same $x as above, it is outside the function scope
$x = increment($x);
print "x is $x\n";[/code]

There's no connection between the $x inside the function and the $x outside.  You can check this by doing

[code]$x = 1;
print "Incremented x is " . increment($x) . "\n";
print "But x's value is still $x\n";[/code]

Good luck :)

[dayo]

Thanks a lot.  In my example therefore I will have....
[code]
<?php
include 'a.inc';
include 'b.inc';
?>

a.inc will have the following
<?php
"A form for User Input"
include 'A1.inc';
include 'A2.inc';
?>

A1.inc will have the following
<?php
function 1 {
$x = "Value from user input form"
return $x;
}
?>

A2.inc will have the following
<?php
function 2($x) {
$y = $x + 1
return $y
}
include 'A2_1.inc';
?>

A2_1.inc will have the following
<table>
<tr>
<td>"The value of $y"</td>
</tr>
</table>
[/code]

Am I getting it?  Sorry if I seem a bit thick but because of the complexity of the code, I want to get it right at this level before diving in.

Thanks for the help

[trq]

[quote]Sorry if I seem a bit thick but because of the complexity of the code, I want to get it right at this level before diving in.[/quote]

You best read the manual on the subject of [url=http://au.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php]scope[/url] then, this really is one of the most fundemental lessons that [b]must[/b] to be learnt.

[dayo]

[quote author=thorpe link=topic=111365.msg451277#msg451277 date=1160730730]
You best read the manual on the subject of [url=http://au.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php]scope[/url] then, this really is one of the most fundemental lessons that [b]must[/b] to be learnt.
[/quote]

I bet it is.  I already read the page you referenced even before signing up here yesterday.  As you are far more knowledgeable on the subject than I am, can you please indicate if i am on the right track with the interpretation I gave??

Thanks a lot.

[dayo]

Managed to find a way to solve the main issue I faced.  Still have some work to do but want to thank contributors for their help.