Help with Function

[nappyhead]

I was given this function question for an interview. I don't think I'm interested in the job and therefore will not submit this, but I am curious how to answer this. Once I start something like this, I can't just quit without knowing the answer.

 

 

Questions:
1. Does the function have any errors?
2. What is the purpose of the function?
3. What can be done to improve it?
4. Why is isset() used instead of a simple conditional used above it?
5. What assumptions can you make about the database structure?

function auto_query( $table, $vars ) {
	$_result = $this->query( "EXPLAIN $_table_name" );
	$_fields = array(); // Empty array assigned to variable
	
	while( $_row = $_result->fetchRow() ) {
		array_push( $_fields, $_row['Field'] );  // Push one or more elements onto the end of array
	}
	
	if( $vars[$table . 'id'] ) {
		$_query = "UPDATE $_table SET ";
	} else {
		$_query = "INSERT INTO $_table SET " . $_table . '_date_created = NOW(), ';
	}
	
	$_query_params = array();  // Empty array assigned to variable
	
	foreach( $_fields as $_field ) {
		if( isset( $_vars[$_field] ) ) {
			$_query_params[] = "$_field = " . $this->dbh->quoteSmart( $_vars[$_field] );
		}
	}
	
	$_query .= implode( ',', $_query_params );  // Join array elements with a string
	
	if( $_vars[$_table . '_id'] ) {
		$_query .= " WHERE {$_table}_id = " . $this->dbh->quoteSmart($_vars[$_table . '_id']);
	}
	
	return $_query;
}

[KevinM1]

...why are you asking us your interview question?

 

Not to be a dick, but these are questions that you should actually investigate yourself before asking others.  Have you tried running the code?  Do you get any errors or warnings?  Can you trace what it's actually doing with the database?

[Maq]

Post your answers and we'll critique them, otherwise, you won't get any positive replies.

[AbraCadaver]

...why are you asking us your interview question?

 

Not to be a dick, but these are questions that you should actually investigate yourself before asking others.  Have you tried running the code?  Do you get any errors or warnings?  Can you trace what it's actually doing with the database?

 

Haha!  You're not being a dick.  I thought the exact same things, except I questioned the " I don't think I'm interested in the job and therefore will not submit this".  

[web_craftsman]

1. $this exists only inside object methods. But you have just some function.

 quoteSmart ??? I know about only a quote() in PDO

not $_vars but $vars.  $table and $_table.

$vars[$table . 'id']    <-----> $_vars[$_table . '_id']

2. it returns the query for saving some data in database table

3. use Yii's Active record instead. :-)

4. maybe because we have no ELSE logic here

[.josh]

Questions:
1. Does the function have any errors? yes
2. What is the purpose of the function? to be executed
3. What can be done to improve it? lots of stuff
4. Why is isset() used instead of a simple conditional used above it? demonstration of power to oppress
5. What assumptions can you make about the database structure? it has columns and stuff. Also it has those other things.