Can a function return multiple values?

[teguh123]

In PhP?

In other programming language, we can pass by reference variables. So the function return values through the argument.

How do you do so on PhP? Array?

[rowanparker]

You can easily return an array:

 function demo() {
       return Array(1,2,3);
}

[teguh123]

Thanks. That's the PhP way isn't it?

In c++ we return an object.

[NogDog]

You can pass variables by reference in PHP, and you can return an object in PHP if desired. Variables can be passed by reference by prepending them with an ampersand ("&") in the function's parameter list.

// pass by reference:
function myFunc(&$var1, &$var2)
{
   $var1 = "some value";
   $var2 = "another value";
}
myFunc($foo, $bar);
echo $foo;  // some value
echo $bar;  // another value


// return an object:
function myFunc2()
{
   $obj = new stdClass;
   $obj->var1 = "test 1";
   $obj->var2 = "test 2";
   return($obj);
}
$test = myFunc2();
echo $test->var1;  // test 1
echo $test->var2;  // test 2

[Weedpacket]

The closest thing in PHP to an object that doesn't need to have any methods or whatnot - a boring old struct, in other words - would be an associative array. A methodless object doesn't appear to have much difference beyond syntax from an associative array except that it would be passed by reference rather than by value.

[teguh123]

Are objects always passed by reference?

[NogDog]

teguh123 wrote:

Are objects always passed by reference?

In PHP5: yes.

In PHP4: no (you have to use the "&" operator to pass them by reference).