Entry

How do you return an array from a function?

Dec 13th, 2002 01:03
Philip Olson, Kris Erickson, Jonathan Kop,

Returning an array is like returning any other type of variable in 
PHP.  They work great as parameters too.  Here's an example:

function add_fruit($a, $b) {
    return array($a, $b, 'cranberry');
}

$fruits = add_fruit('apple','banana');

foreach ($fruits as $key => $fruit) {
    print "$key : $fruit <br>";
}
    
    0 : apple <br>
    1 : banana <br>
    2 : cranberry <br>

You can also use use 'global' to make variables (such as arrays) 
available outside the scope of the function.  So:

function foo() {

    global $bar;

    $bar = array('a','b');
}

foo();

print $bar[0]; // a

See also:

    http://www.php.net/return
    http://www.php.net/language.variables.scope.php
    http://www.php.net/types.array
    http://www.php.net/foreach