CODEWITHSUNDEEP
phpweb-applications
Ross
Ross

Reputation: 14415

PHP optional function arguments with array. How to code / Better way to code?

I'm sure there is a better to this. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I want to pass an array to a php function that contains the argument and all the arguments are optional. I'm using code ignitor and am by no means an expert. Below is what i have been using so far:

function addLinkPost($postDetailArray) {

    if (isset($postDetailArray['title'])) {
        $title = $postDetailArray['title']; }
    else {
        $title = "Error: No Title";
    }

    if (isset($postDetailArray['url'])) {
        $url        = $postDetailArray['url'];
    } else {
        $url        = "no url";
    }
    if (isset($postDetailArray['caption'])) {
        $caption    = $postDetailArray['caption'];
    } else {
        $caption    = "";
    }
    if (isset($postDetailArray['publish'])) {
        $publish    = $postDetailArray['publish'];
    } else {
        $publish    = TRUE;
    }
    if (isset($postDetailArray['postdate'])) {
        $postdate   = $postDetailArray['postdate'];
    } else {
        $postdate   = "NOW()";
    }
    if (isset($postDetailArray['tagString'])) {
        $tagString  = $postDetailArray['tagString'];
    } else {
        $tagString = "";
    }

Upvotes: 7

Views: 5690

Answers (6)

Ionuț G. Stan
Ionuț G. Stan

Reputation: 179119

You can use an array of defaults and then merge the argument array with the defaults. The defaults will be overridden if they appear in the argument array. A simple example:

$defaults = array(
    'foo' => 'aaa',
    'bar' => 'bbb',
    'baz' => 'ccc',
);

$options = array(
    'foo' => 'ddd',
);


$merged = array_merge($defaults, $options);

print_r($merged);

/*

Array
(
    [foo] => ddd
    [bar] => bbb
    [baz] => ccc
)

*/

In your case, that would be:

function addLinkPost($postDetailArray) {
    static $defaults = array(
        'title'     => 'Error: No Title',
        'url'       => 'no url',
        'caption'   => '',
        'publish'   => true,
        'postdate'  => 'NOW()',
        'tagString' => '',
    );

    $merged = array_merge($defaults, $postDetailArray);

    $title     = $merged['title'];
    $url       = $merged['url'];
    $caption   = $merged['caption'];
    $publish   = $merged['publish'];
    $postdate  = $merged['postdate'];
    $tagString = $merged['$tagString'];
}

Upvotes: 27

Jonas
Jonas

Reputation: 61

Using the array as an argument is a good idea in this case. However, you could simplify the code in the function a bit by using the ternary operator (http://dk.php.net/ternary):

$title = isset($postDetailArray['title']) ? $postDetailArray['title'] : 'Error: No Title';

You could simplify it even more by doing the following:

function addLinkPost($data) {

$arguments = array('title', 'url', 'caption', 'publish', 'postdate', 'tagString');

foreach ($arguments as $value) {
    $$value = isset($data[$value]) ? $data[$value] : 'Error: No '.$value;
}

}

Upvotes: 4

cletus
cletus

Reputation: 625047

How about:

function getdefault($value, $default = null) {
  return isset($value) ? $value : $default;
}

function addLinkPost($postDetailArray) {
  $title = getdefault($postDetailArray['title'], 'Error: No Title');
  $url = getdefault($postDetailArray['url'], 'no url');
  $caption = getdefault($postDetailArray['caption'], '');
  $publish = getdefault($postDetailArray['publish'], TRUE);
  $postdate = getdefault($postDetailArray['postdate'], 'NOW()');
  $tagString = getdefault($postDetailArray['tagString'], '');
}

or alternatively:

$defaults = array(
  'title' => 'Error: No Title',
  'url' => 'no url',
  'caption' => '',
  'publish' => TRUE,
  'postdate' => 'NOW()',
  'tagString' => '',
);

function addLinkPost($postDetailArray) {
  global $defaults;
  foreach ($defaults as $k => $v) {
    $$k = isset($postDetailArray[$k]) ? $postDetailArray[$k] : $v;
  }
}

With the one warning that if you have an array key of 'defaults' in $defaults, it will overwrite the global $defaults.

Upvotes: 0

Inspire
Inspire

Reputation: 2060

You could do it like this:

function addLinkPost(array $postDetailArray)
{
    $fields = array(
        'key' => 'default value',
        'title' => 'Error: No Title',
    );

    foreach ($fields as $key => $default) {
        $$key = isset($postDetailArray[$key]) ? $postDetailArray[$key] : $default;
    }
}

Simply edit the $fields array with your key and its default value.

Upvotes: 10

smack0007
smack0007

Reputation: 11366

You could make all elements of the array parameters of the function. Check if the first is an array in the function and if so, extract the array.

 function addLinkPost($title = null, $url = null, $caption = null, $publish = null, $postDate = null, $tagString = null)
 {
      if(is_array($title)) {
           extract($title);
      }

      ....
 }

Maybe that makes the code a little more clear.

Upvotes: 0

Andreas
Andreas

Reputation: 5335

Try this:

function addLinkPost($postDetailArray) {

   foreach($array as $key=>$value){
     $$key = (isset($value) && !empty($value)) ? $value : ('no '.$key);
   }
   //all keys are available as variables 
   var_dump($url); var_dump($publish); //etc
}

Upvotes: 0

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