Variable Scope issue?

[ehmer]

Within a function I have declared a variable and given it a value based on a database query. (see code below)

if(!$next){ 
   $next=0; 
}   

$rpp = 20; //results per page
$query = "select * from header where parent = $postid order by posted desc limit $next, $rpp";

$result = mysql_query($query);

Within a different function I would like to test whether this variable has a value (see below)

if($result){
$num_msgs = mysql_numrows($result);
$prev = $next - $rpp;
$next += $rpp;
echo"<tr><td colspan='3' bgcolor = '#ffffff' align = 'right'>";
if($next <= $num_msgs)echo"<a href=\"forum.php?next=$next\">Older Messages</a>";
if(($next <= $num_msgs) && ($prev >= 0))echo"&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;";
if($prev >= 0)echo"<a href=\"forum.php?next=$prev\">Newer Messages</a>";
echo"</td></tr>";
}

Problem is the 2nd function doesn't appear to see the original variable and therefore doesn't execute the code. Is there some way I can pass the variable and its contents to the2nd function to allow this code to execute?

Appreciate your suggestions
David

[drawmack]

In your main program, outside of any functions, do this

$varName = "";

now it will be global

to ensure that the global scope is used inside your functions include this:

global $varName;

using parameters is much more desirable then fudging in this way though as a minor change to one function can affect another function.

[ehmer]

Thanks, that helped. I now have the 2nd function executing but the parameters the links are passing are both '0' rather than the 20 or 40 etc that I'd expected.

Can you see any problems in the logic of the code?

Ta
David