[RESOLVED] Getting an array value from a function which returns and array

[Clarkey_Boy]

Hi,

I am using code similar to the following, and getting errors about unexpected '['s.

<?php

function setArray() {

$array = array("Orange"=>"Purple", "Blue"=>"Red");
return $array;

}

echo setArray()["Orange"];

/*
I could just call the following:

$arr = setArray();
echo $arr["Orange"];

But that is a bit long winded - it doubles the number of lines needed.
*/

?>

In theory, the above should work - it should output "Purple" to the browser. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong or if what I am trying to do is even possible? Thanks in advance,

Clarkey

[tron00]

Try the following:

$array = array("Orange"=>"Purple", "Blue"=>"Red");
echo $array["Orange"];

Or if you must have it in a function

function setArray($color) {
$array = array("Orange"=>"Purple", "Blue"=>"Red");
echo $array["$color"];
}

setArray("Orange");

[NogDog]

I don't think you can get around assigning the result to a variable if you need to do that. You could, however, make the function more flexible by adding an optional parameter to return a single element if that's all you need:

function setArray($ix=null)
{
   $array = array("Orange"=>"Purple", "Blue"=>"Red");
   if($ix !== null)
   {
      if(array_key_exists($ix, $array))
      {
         return $array[$ix];
      }
      else
      {
         user_error("Invalid array index $ix");
         return false;
      }
   }
   return $array;
}

[Novacane]

php doesn't handle function returns like some other languages do

this is invalid syntax since php doesn't consider the function to be an array:

echo setArray()["Orange"];

you have to set a variable as the returned array then call an index from the variable

$arr = setArray();
echo $arr["Orange"];

to shorten things up you could also just return the created array from the function without assigning it a variable

function setArray(){
    return array("Some", "Array", "Data");
}

[Clarkey_Boy]

tron00 wrote:

Try the following:

$array = array("Orange"=>"Purple", "Blue"=>"Red");
echo $array["Orange"];

Or if you must have it in a function

function setArray($color) {
$array = array("Orange"=>"Purple", "Blue"=>"Red");
echo $array["$color"];
}

setArray("Orange");

Ill just use this method, only I will return from the function, not echo within it.

Thanks all,

Clarkey