Returning multiple values

[nexgen_x]

I have a function that retrieves various bits of info from a DB, which can then be used in scripts... However, the function uses more than 1 variable, and I want to return them all.

in the call, I'd obviously have to use
$variables = functionname();

$variables will need to be an array of some sort... But how do I return 2 strings? I couldn't use:

return $1;
return $2;

because return ends the function...

Cheers,

[cahva]

You could use an array. For example:

<?php
function test()
{
	$test[0]='test1';
	$test[1]='test2';
	return $test;
}

$variable=test();
echo $variable[0];
// would print 'test1' and $variable[1] would print 'test2'
?>

Second choice would be making the variables global in the function.

[128kb_com]

Or you can always use references as your function arguments.

function foo(&$ref1, &$ref2)
{
	$ref1++;
	$ref2--;

// do more stuff...
return 1;
}

$a = 5;
$b = 12;

foo($a, $b);
printf("a is now %d, b is now %d", $a, $b)
// prints 'a is now 6, b is now 11'

and you still have the option to return a value from foo too.

[su1d]

just another way:

function foo() {
  return array(1, 2);
}

list($a, $b) = foo();

echo $a.' : '.$b;