What does this function do?

Dave · 03-15-2010, 10:36 PM

Could someone briefly explain this function?

PHP Code:


			
function l($var) 

{

    global $l;

    return $l[$var];

}

Thanks!

delayedinsanity · 03-15-2010, 11:46 PM

php Code:

$l = array( 'one' => 'value for one', 'two' => 'value for two' );

// These both assign 'value for one' to $value
$value = $l['one'];
$value = l( 'one' );

It's just an overcomplicated method to return a value of $l based on its key. It's also a waste of resources, considering it has to first retrieve $l from the global namespace, and then just pipes back a value that you could have easily gotten on your own (as illustrated above). It doesn't perform any error checking to see if the value exists and return a default if it doesn't, which is the only reason I could see it being useful.

sketchMedia · 03-16-2010, 11:35 AM

Well that's one of the most pointless functions I have seen in a good long while. Not only have you got the extra and unnecessary function call overhead, your also using a global variable, which as we all know can be linked to global warming and 3rd world debt.

Dave · 03-16-2010, 02:17 PM

I thought that had all been disproved, and Al Gore had switched to .NET.

delayedinsanity · 03-16-2010, 04:00 PM

Al Gore created .NET, but he uses Basic.

3rd world countries have debt? I thought we gave them the option to offer up their first born sons to the Masons and then we supported them with supplies of AK-47s to handle any dissidents?

Dr John · 03-18-2010, 03:56 PM

Al Gore helped with the funding for .NET, long before global variables came along to personally help programmers.

cerealgirl · 03-21-2010, 12:10 AM

And isn't thisfunction a shining example of why we should comment our code and select logical function names...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave

Could someone briefly explain this function?

PHP Code:


			
function l($var) 

{

    global $l;

    return $l[$var];

}

Thanks!

Ummm, I'm pretty sure it's a variable variable - basically a way to have a dynamically named variable. Here they are in the manual http://php.net/manual/en/language.va...s.variable.php
Cool though they may be, I never use variable variables, because they're a bit confusing - they save a few lines of code but lose maintainability and readability IMHO.

Enfernikus · 03-21-2010, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerealgirl

And isn't thisfunction a shining example of why we should comment our code and select logical function names...

Ummm, I'm pretty sure it's a variable variable - basically a way to have a dynamically named variable. Here they are in the manual http://php.net/manual/en/language.va...s.variable.php
Cool though they may be, I never use variable variables, because they're a bit confusing - they save a few lines of code but lose maintainability and readability IMHO.

Brackets not curly braces.

delayedinsanity · 03-21-2010, 06:40 AM

php Code:

foreach ( $_POST as $key => value )
    $_POST[$key] = my_sanitize( $value, $args );

extract( $_POST );

// or

foreach ( $_POST as $key => $value )
    ${$key} = my_sanitize( $value, $args );

No readability lost there. :) Not exactly the best use case example in the world, but in the end variable variables are just helpful shortcuts for those who like them.