"Flexible" functions a possibility?

[The Bat]

Hello,

 

Is it at all possible in PHP to have "flexible" functions? For example, there's a function which has 3 parameters, and I only want to utilize 2 - the first one and last one. Instead of typing

 

myFunc('first', false, 'third');

 

Could I/how would I do this?

 

myFunc('first', $thirdparam = 'third');

 

(Assuming $thirdparam is the same variable used to declare the third parameter when creating the function.)

 

Using Rails has had me wanting this functionality in PHP Thanks for the help!

[Orio]

You can define a function that the number of parameters it can receives changes (check this).

Maybe that helps you?

 

Orio.

[btherl]

You can do this:

 

function foo($args) {
  $bob = $args['bob'];
  $bill = &$args['bill'];
}
foo(array(
  'bob' => 'hello',
  'bill' => &$bubbles,
));

 

Named arguments make life sooo much easier

[The Bat]

Thanks for the help! btherl, your method works great but I have one question: what exactly are the ampersands do?

[Foser]

For flexible functions you might want to get more involved in OOP.

[btherl]

The ampersands demonstrate how to use references when passing arguments as arrays.  If you don't use references, you don't need to worry about them   Just use the "bob" line for all your variables.

 

If you do want references, the "bill" line in the example demonstrates that you must take a reference in two places for it to be effective.  If you remove either one, then you will not get a reference back to the original variable.