Checking function true or false

[Lassie]

I have a function and need to establish whether it executed correctly and if show an error message.

I have the following to call the function and check the return, true or false.

Is this the way to go?

//new customer so create user account and password
			user_account($first_name,$last_name,$email);
			if (user_account($first_name,$last_name,$email)!=TRUE)
			{
				echo 'A system error occurred.Please contact eBooks4U ';
				exit();
			}



  //display cart, not allowing changes and without pictures 
      display_cart($_SESSION['cart'], false, 1);

 

The function is

function user_account($first_name,$last_name,$email)

{

//create short variables.

$fn=$first_name;

$ln=$last_name;

$e=$email;

 

//generate password

// Create a new, random password.

$p = substr ( md5(uniqid(rand(),1)), 3, 10);

//register details

if ($fn && $ln && $e && $p) { // If everything's OK.

 

//connect to db registration already connected?

$connection=reg_connect();

 

// Make sure the email address is available.Maybe already checked

$query = "SELECT user_id FROM users WHERE email='$e'";

$result = mysql_query ($query) or trigger_error("Query: $query\n<br />MySQL Error: " . mysql_error());

 

if (mysql_num_rows($result) == 0) { // Available.

 

// Create the activation code.

$a = md5(uniqid(rand(), true));

//Modify update for password by taking out md5, already done.

 

// Add the user.

$query = "INSERT INTO users (email, pass, first_name, last_name, active, registration_date) VALUES ('$e', md5('$p'), '$fn', '$ln', '$a', NOW() )";

$result = mysql_query ($query) or trigger_error("Query: $query\n<br />MySQL Error: " . mysql_error());

 

if (mysql_affected_rows() == 1) { // If it ran OK.

 

//add from

$to = $_POST['email'];

$subj = "Activating Your Account";

$mess = "Thank you. You are now registered with e-Books4U<br />To activate your account, please click on this link;<br />\n\n";

$mess .="<a href='http://217.46.159.226/e_cart21/reg/activate.php?x=" . mysql_insert_id() ."&y=$a'>Activate account</a>";

$mess.="<br />Your password for login is, $p\n\n";

 

$headers = 'MIME-Version: 1.0' . "\r\n";

$headers .= 'Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1' . "\r\n";

 

mail($to,$subj,$mess,$headers);

 

 

return true;

}else{

return false;

}

}

}

}

[drisate]

try this

 

if (!user_account($first_name,$last_name,$email)){

echo 'A system error occurred.Please contact eBooks4U ';

exit();

}

[Lassie]

Hi Thanks.

I tried that and get a failure message. ie 'A sytem...'

I checked the function works as expected.

Should I return a value and check that? ie return 1;or return 0;

[drisate]

you can try it the other way

 

if (user_account($first_name,$last_name,$email)){

// is true

// bla bla bla ...

}else{

// is false

echo 'A system error occurred.Please contact eBooks4U ';

}

 

so that way you probably don't need the exit(); anymore

[Lassie]

I'll try  that.

Just to understand does

if (user_account($first_name,$last_name,$email)){

// is true

test for true?

 

 

[drisate]

yeah you put your code of what to do if true and finish with what to do if false. Much better then exit();

[Lassie]

Fine. Many thanks