Re: [PHP] php programming style

[Ray Hunter]

It depends on many issues...do you have a set standard that you use when
programming.

1. does it make sense to do it that way.
2. are there performance issue
3. is it understandable for maintenance by yourself or others.
4. does the function require a return value, if so which type.


I think that some of the above question might help you out. However,
from a programming standpoint i like to make sure that my functions
return the same type at least.  Some feel different about this and
return various type (ie, int, strings, arrays)...

HTH


On Thu, 2002-11-21 at 10:57, Beau Hartshorne wrote:
 Hi,
 
 I'm curious if it's bad coding style for a function to return a value on
 success, or simply false on fail. Here's what I mean:
 
 ?php
 
 function foo($number)
 {
   if (is_numeric($number)) {
   return $number . ' is a number.';
   } else {
   return false;
   }
 }
 
 if ($string = foo(1)) {
   echo $string;
 } else {
   echo 'error';
 }
 
 ?
 
 Is this ok?
 
 Thank you,
 
 Beau
-- 

Ray Hunter
email:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
www:http://venticon.com


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RE: [PHP] php programming style

[Beau Hartshorne]

 I think that some of the above question might help you out. However,
 from a programming standpoint i like to make sure that my functions
 return the same type at least.  Some feel different about this and
 return various type (ie, int, strings, arrays)...

I agree that it should return a consistent type. I was planning on
returning a populated array on success, or a boolean false on fail.
Instead, I will return an empty (but initialized) array on fail, and use
the count() function to test for failure like this:

?php

function foo()
{
/* if the result set is empty */
return array();
}

$my_array = foo();

if (count($my_array) = 0) {
// nothing in array
echo 'nothing';
} else {
// do something with data
echo 'something';
}

?

Beau



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RE: [PHP] php programming style

[Ernest E Vogelsinger]

At 19:54 21.11.2002, Beau Hartshorne said:
[snip]
I agree that it should return a consistent type. I was planning on
returning a populated array on success, or a boolean false on fail.
Instead, I will return an empty (but initialized) array on fail, and use
the count() function to test for failure like this:
[snip] 

I also have the habit of always having my functions returning a comparable
type. Comparable means you can always use the empty(), isset(), or count()
functions with correct result.

This said I'd suggest to return null for non-void functions in case of
failure. 


-- 
   O Ernest E. Vogelsinger
   (\)ICQ #13394035
^ http://www.vogelsinger.at/



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