[Resolved] function never returns value, please help

[ppowell]

   function retrieve_email($datatype, $id) {
		global $projectFolderPath;
		switch (strtolower($datatype)) {

	 case 'xml':							// RETRIEVE FROM XML
	   $fileID = @fopen("$projectFolderPath/xml/email.xml", 'r');
	   if ($fileID) {
	    $xml = @fread($fileID, filesize("$projectFolderPath/xml/email.xml"));
	    @fclose($fileID);
	    $parser = @xml_parser_create();
	    if ($parser) @xml_parser_set_option($parser, XML_OPTION_SKIP_WHITE, 1);	// SKIP WHITESPACE IF FOUND
	    @xml_parse_into_struct($parser, $xml, $xmlArray, $tags);
	    @xml_parser_free($parser);
	    for ($i = 1; $i < @sizeof($xmlArray); $i++) {
	     if ((int)$id !== 0 && (int)$xmlArray[$i]['attributes']['ID'] === (int)$id) {
	      return 'ffff';
	     }
	    }
	    return null; // NOT FOUND
	   }


	 case 'db':							// RETRIEVE FROM DATABASE

	  break;

	 case 'file':							// RETRIEVE FROM OTHER FLAT FILE

	  break;

	 case 'session':						// RETRIEVE FROM SESSION

	  break;

	 default:								// DO NOTHING
	  break;

	}
   }

I have tested this by using placed print_r() statements in strategic locations to verify that the for loop is being iterated, however, no return ever takes place no matter the value returned.

I can't figure this out and it's due in hours, please help!

Thanx
Phil

[paulnaj]

Hi ppowell,

You're suppressing the error messages on all the functions that you could cause you grief. So try using the 'or die' statement.

I don't use the xml functions myself, so didn't tweak them at all but see how this goes ...

<?php
function retrieve_email($datatype, $id) { 
	global $projectFolderPath; 
	switch (strtolower($datatype)){
		case 'xml': // RETRIEVE FROM XML 
			$filepath = $projectFolderPath.'/xml/email.xml';
			$fileID = @fopen($filepath, 'r')
				or die('Cannot open file: ['.$filepath.']'); 

		$xml = @fread($fileID, filesize($filepath))
			or die('Cannot read file: ['.$filepath.']'); 

		@fclose($fileID); 

		$parser = @xml_parser_create()
			or die('Cannot create parser'); 

		@xml_parser_set_option($parser, XML_OPTION_SKIP_WHITE, 1);    // SKIP WHITESPACE IF FOUND 
		@xml_parse_into_struct($parser, $xml, $xmlArray, $tags); 
		@xml_parser_free($parser); 
		for($i = 1; $i < @sizeof($xmlArray); $i++) { 
			if ((int)$id !== 0 && (int)$xmlArray[$i]['attributes']['ID'] === (int)$id) { 
				return 'ffff'; 
			} 
		} 
		return null; // NOT FOUND 
	break;

	case 'db':  // RETRIEVE FROM DATABASE 
		return null;
	break; 

	case 'file':  // RETRIEVE FROM OTHER FLAT FILE 
		return null;
	break; 

	case 'session':  // RETRIEVE FROM SESSION 
		return null;
	break; 

	default: // DO NOTHING 
		return null;
	break; 
} 
}
?>

Paul 🙂

[ppowell]

Sorry that didn't work either. The XML functions were not the problem, in fact I did this:

for ($i = 0; $i < @sizeof($xmlArray); $i++) {
  print_r("abc");
  if ((int)$id !== 0 && (int)$xmlArray[$i]['attributes']['ID'] === (int)$id) return 'fff';
  print_r("xyz");
}

Here is my output:

abc

abc

abc

Phil

[paulnaj]

Hi Phil,

OK, that means we've made it up to the xml functions!

Try displaying the $xmlArray and $tags arrays immediately after creation ...

// ...
@xml_parse_into_struct($parser, $xml, $xmlArray, $tags);  

echo '<hr><pre>';
echo '<b>xmlArray</b>:'; print_r($xmlArray);	
echo '<b>tags</b>:'; print_r($tags);	
echo '</pre>';
// ...

... to check what you get back from the parse.

Paul.

[ppowell]

I got it and it was the STUPIDEST thing yet I've ever done in PHP coding history!!!!

The XML wasn't the problem, the switch wasn't the problem, the FOR loop wasn't the problem, the FUNCTION wasn't even the problem!!!

The problem was so 3rd grade it was sinful!

What would THIS return:

<? retrieve_email('xml', 2); ?>

As opposed to what THIS will return:

<?= retrieve_email('xml', 2); ?>

Wow.

Phil

[paulnaj]

I know just how that feels.

P.