[RESOLVED] register_tick_function parameters

xbuilder

It would have been much better if the parameters to the tick function can be made variables rather than constants, i.e.,

    register_tick_function("myfunc", $globalVar1);

rather than
register_tick_function("myfunc", "hello"); // 2nd para is less useful

Piranha

First: Yes, it would be better.

Second: It doesn't say anything about constants in the manual, so it should be possible to do it with a variable.

Third: Do you have any question about this?

xbuilder

I tried using variables but it only took the value of the variable at the time of calling the register function. I was expecting/hoping for an unexpected answer (reason) for this question, as it turns out to be case quite sometimes.

xbuilder

Piranha,

If you were in a bad mood today please do not answer my questions because it makes me look down at you, although I wanted to do the opposite.

bradgrafelman

What makes you think he was in a bad mood? You truly didn't ask any question in your first post, so the most he or anyone could have done is simply comment on what you said...

Piranha

I wasn't in a bad mood, not at all. I was just trying to do what I normally do in this forum, and that is help people out.

But I don't just solve other persons problems for them, I don't think that is helping. Most people just copy the code and use it, but do not think about it. Next time they get in difficulties they have to ask again.

I try to push people in the right direction. That might be a link, a topic to search for, a few rows of how to debug or, as is the case here, to point out what to think about when posting. Not everyone like my way of answering questions. But I don't aim at helping everyone. I try to help the ones that show that they want help and are willing to put down some work to learn to code.

xbuilder

First and foremost, I appreciated Piranha's honesty.

The reply below is intended for the same purpose. I feel guilty to use the resource (and viewer's time) here but I just want to make a few points that would potentially help some people:

(1) We have different people with different backgrounds, not everyone can make every question as intelligent as it should be. I would try my best to answer the question quickly including point out a specific location, section, etc. I wouldn't ask people to google or to read a lot of doc before asking the question. You can certainly filter out some questions using your approach but it think it minimizes the greatness (and part of the purpose) of a forum.

(2) If a question is answered quickly, the person will be able to achieve his/her goal quicker and therefore he or she can move to next challenge, which is exactly what you would like them to be.

Imagine this: You had to stop at a Gas station on a busy street to ask for directions to a restaurant. The gas attendant told you that you should go back and drive the same street again and look carefully next time (because the little restaurant is just located across the street from the gas station...).

In any event, we sit in different chairs and see things differently.

Piranha

Good to get honest feedback from someone that doesn't agree 🙂

Of course I don't agree on what you say. Let's take it one point at a time:

1.1. It is true that not everyone can make the question perfect. But everyone can print a question. Noone can be expected to guess what is ment otherwise. Let's take your first post. I could understand it in several ways, including complaining, bug report, why it is as it is and is there any solution/workaround. A question would explain what was ment.

1.2. I don't mean that I say "read in the manual". I mean that when someone asks "how do you make sure your database are safe" I answer "search for sql injection, there are tons of posts and articles covering this".

1.3. I would like to ask people to google and read a lot of doc before asking the question. Most questins here are answered lots of times, and a simple search would answer it. It is rude to demand that other people should put their time to solve your problem if you can't put a little time into it with a search first. It is better that the persons answering get to answer the hard questions to expand the total information on the forum. I don't think it minimizes the greatness of a forum, I think it helps the persons that want help (there it was again).

No. I would like the person to learn something, not just get a solution. Then the person know how to solve the problem next time it occurs. Of course I want the person to solve the problem, but as part of a learning process.

xbuilder

Now that we have agreed that (1) we do not agree on this issue, and (2) we were honest about it.

I am happy where are are right now and think it's best to stop right here. In no way the comments I made today reduce the appreciation I have for people like you. Thanks to all of you for your time!

Obviously, you are welcome to send me private messages at time.

Have a great holiday!

Piranha

Happy holidays 🙂

I didn't take any offence, I hope you didn't either. I just wanted to give you my thoughts, and I guess that you did the same. It is discussions like this one that moves the forum forward since we all get a better understanding for each other.

xbuilder

It's just a discussion. I would have invited you to a bar to talk more about it if you were in my neighborhood 🙂, because I do think that we have a philosophical difference on how to giving out help.

The reason I stopped the discussion is that (1) we had our points spoken (2) to avoid misunderstanding. For example, my last few comments were not really to the actual question I posted at all.

Hey! relax, I am in-love with PHP:eek: My day job is a little different web programming but I learn php for serious fun! More questions will come....

bubblenut

I think what you may be looking for, xbuilder, is the concept of a reference. Before I go any further I should explain that I don't have any version of PHP running on this machine so I have not tested any code.
So, if you define your function with references and pass in the parameters to register_tick_function explicitly as references you may get the desired results. However, depending on how register_tick_function is written this may not work, it's easy enough to test though.

function myFunc(&$ref)
{
  echo $ref . "\n";
}

$ref = 'foo';
register_tick_function('myFunc', &$ref);

define(tick=1);
// do something
$reg = 'bar';
// do something else

If the previous solution doesn't work then there is a more convoluted (and pretty ratty) solution. Rather than passing in a variable directly, you pass in something which identifies where to find the variable in the global scope. The main downside to this solution is that the global scope is getting polluted.

function myFunc($id)
{
  echo $GLOBALS['tick_store'][$id] . "\n";
}
$GLOBALS['tick_store']['id1'] = 'foo';
register_tick_function('myFunc', 'id1');

define(tick=1);
// do something
$GLOBALS['tick_store']['id1'] = 'bar';
// do something else

Cheers
Rob

xbuilder

Well, the second idea is a good one. It helps to achieve the purpose of altering the behavior of the callback function by a variable. The first option did not work because the register_tick_function() is not implemented that way.

Here is a code segment that worked for me:

function foo()
{
        print "Inside foo() <br>";
}
function bar()
{
        print "Inside bar() <br>";
}
function myCB($p) {
        $GLOBALS["$p"]();
}

$GLOBALS['tickVar'] = 'foo';
register_tick_function("myCB", 'tickVar');

declare(ticks=10);
$j = 0;
for($i = 0; $i < 10; ++$i) {
        if(++$j > 7)
                $GLOBALS['tickVar'] = "bar";
}
unregister_tick_function("myCB");