Using values inside a function out side

Question

is it possible to use values that are obtained within a loop/function out side the loop/function where it is used or called?

below is my function

function off($limit)
{
    $string=file_get_contents("feed.xml");
    $xml=simplexml_load_string($string);

    foreach ($xml->FOUND->CAT as $place)
    {
        $limits = $place->CORDS;
        $rate=$place->STARS;
        $phone=$place->PHONE;
    }
}

Im calling it to a php file which has html tags. Is it possible to get the values that are returned by the function into the rows that are marked by XXXX to display ?

<html>
<body>
<?php
off(‘57854’);
?>
<table width="200" border="1">
  <tr>
    <td>XXXXX</td>
    <td>XXXXX</td>
    <td>XXXXX</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>XXXXX</td>
    <td>XXXXX</td>
    <td>XXXXX</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>XXXXX</td>
    <td>XXXXX</td>
    <td>XXXXX</td>
  </tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>

I would like to know is there a way to display without including the html tags within the function.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

Tatu Ulmanen · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-02 15:40:34Z

2

Well, you cannot do looping without PHP, so your HTML has to be inside a loop. But you can return a simplified array from your function, if that helps:

function off($limit)
{
    $string = file_get_contents("feed.xml");
    $xml    = simplexml_load_string($string); 
    $return = array();

    foreach ($xml->FOUND->CAT as $place)
    {
        $return[] = array(
            'limits' => $place->CORDS,
            'rate' => $place->STARS,
            'phone' => $place->PHONE
        )
    }
    return $return;        
}

The function now builds an array of the results to be returned back to the caller. Then you can just loop through that array:

<html>
<body>
<?php
$arr = off('57854');
?>
<table width="200" border="1">
    <?php foreach($arr as $row): ?>
    <tr>
        <td><?php echo $row['limits']; ?></td>
        <td><?php echo $row['rate']; ?></td>
        <td><?php echo $row['phone']; ?></td>
    </tr>
    <?php endforeach; ?>
</table>
</body>
</html>

This way, you can avoid having HTML inside your function, which is always a good thing to do – keep your logic separate from the presentation.

edited Feb 2, 2010 at 15:40

answered Feb 2, 2010 at 15:28

Tatu Ulmanen

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1 Comment

Tatu Ulmanen Over a year ago

Why the downvote? This is exactly what the OP asked for, with an clear example.

ghostdog74 · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-02 15:24:06Z

2

you put a return statement in your function. then you can use it "outside"

answered Feb 2, 2010 at 15:24

ghostdog74

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Comments

Shane · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-02 15:27:54Z

2

Yes, you can get the result of a function and use it outside. Example:

function addSomething($a, $b)
{
    $sum = $a + $b;
    return $sum;
}

$mySum = addSomething(15, 45);

print $mySum;  // Will show 60

You can only 'return' one variable as it will 'exit' the function once you return. If you need more data than just a single variable you can return an array and pick that up on the other side.

answered Feb 2, 2010 at 15:27

Shane

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Comments

Adam Kiss · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-02 15:26:08Z

0

There are three ways:

1., Either you save result of each loop turnaround into an array and then loop through array

<table>
<?php foreach ($array as $a){
echo "<tr><td>$a</td></tr>";
} ?>
</table>

2., or you echo each row through the loop (in that off function)

3., or you start a buffer with ob_start and then save it to some variable ($result = ob_get_contents())

Either way, you'll need more loops and some echos.

answered Feb 2, 2010 at 15:26

Adam Kiss

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Comments

Sampson · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-02 15:36:42Z

0

You need to return the value out of the function:

function foo() {
  return array("bar");
}

Any time I call foo(), I'll be able to catch it's return value:

$items = foo(); // $items is now array("bar");

foreach($items as $item) {
  print "<td>" . $item . "</td>"; // <td>bar</td>
}

edited Feb 2, 2010 at 15:36

answered Feb 2, 2010 at 15:25

Sampson

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Comments

Tor Valamo · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-02 15:24:52Z

-1

Not without making each of the function variables global

function func() {
  global $var1, $var2, ...;
  ...
}
?>
<td><?=$var1?></td>

Note: for the above to work, short tags must be enabled, otherwise you have to do <?php echo $var1 ?>

answered Feb 2, 2010 at 15:24

Tor Valamo

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