problem with "global"

[ppowell]

  function processCSV(&$fileID, $willCloseResource = false, $willReturnCode = false) {				// PROCESS CSV, SET VARS AND GLOBALIZE TO GLOBAL SCOPE
	if ($fileID) $code = '<' . "?\n\n";															// PHP OPEN TAG
	while (($data = @fgetcsv($fileID, 4096)) !== false) {
	  $key = $data[0];
	  ${$key} = $data[1];
	  $code .= "  $key = '" . str_replace("'", "\\'", ${$key}) . "';";
	  global ${$key};
	}
	if ($fileID) $code .= "\n\n?" . '>';															// PHP CLOSE TAG
	if ($willCloseResource) fclose($fileID);
	if ($willReturnCode) return $code;
  }

For some reason, the "global ${$key}" line causes the value of $GLOBALS[$key] to literally vanish! Through using echo and print_r() statements I can easily verify that $data exists, $data[1] exists, and ${$key} exists with the value of $data[1].. until you leave the function..

Is this another case of "global doesn't global"? Please someone look at this code and tell me why this is going on, is this a "bug" or some kind of wacky issue with the "global" statement?

All I'm trying to do is to read content from a CSV file, first column is variable name, second column is its value, it sets up the variable name and sets its value, that's it.

Phil

[ahundiak]

The global keyword is intended to give a function access to an existing global variable. It does not create a new variable.

Try:
$GLOBALS[$key] = $data[1];

[ppowell]

Actually it does.. to autoglobals, apparently, only..

$_POST['blah'] = 'foo';
global $_POST;

That resets $POST to have $POST['blah'] and works perfectly for me in PHP 4.3.2 every time, in a function or a class method..

So if it's not an autoglobal you have to set it into an autoglobal like $GLOBALS..

Something to remember

Phil

[ahundiak]

I don't think you really need to use the global keyword in conjunction with $POST. For example:

function show_foo()
{
    if (isset($_POST['foo'])) echo "FOO is $_POST[foo]\n";
    else                      echo "FOO is not set\n";
}
show_foo();
$_POST['foo'] = 'bar';
show_foo();

Yields:
FOO is not set
FOO is bar

But I would be delighted if you could prove me wrong with an example. Always enjoy learning new things.

[ppowell]

I'll be happy to.

Using PHP 4.3.2 with register_globals ON (normally OFF):

class ImageGIFConverter extends MethodGeneratorForActionPerforrmer {

  function ImageGIFConverter() {}

function &alterPOST($postKeysToAlterArray) {			// STATIC VOID METHOD
	if (is_array($postKeysToAlterArray) && @sizeof($postKeysToAlterArray) > 0) {
	 foreach ($postKeysToAlterArray as $key => $val) $_POST[$key] = $val;
	 global $_POST;
 	}
}

}

In this case of a class that will be processing a GIF-to-SOMETHING_ELSE image converter, values in $_POST will contain the original image information. This information has to be changed in order for proper redirection to the new image on the screen instead of the old image.

Without

global $_POST;

after the line where I am resetting $_POST, $POST retained its original values and the application process here broke; with that line, $POST changed values. This was one example in my entire application where I had to use the "global $_POST" line.

Phil

[ahundiak]

I guess if it works for you then ok. I tried a couple of variations under 4.3.2. They all worked as expected.