PHP Statement Explanation

Question

I read a post here that the person wrote a statement like :

 $this->_connection = require_once 'config.php';

   // $this->connection is an array variable.

I find it a little bit hard to understand. Am asking myself how can you assign an included file to a variable.

Does it mean that an array must be returned from the "config.php" file? I mean should "config.php" return an array?

Is such statement good in commercial php applications?

Thank you.

Anything goes in "commercial" PHP applications. What you really want to know is whether it's good in a "well-designed" PHP application. (In which case I would avoid it, though it's not necessarily bad.) — Waleed Khan, Dec 29 '12 at 21:56
Yes, a value must be returned in config.php - it's actually very handy occasionally. I suspect you'd need to wrap the pathname in brackets though (or, at least, it appears clearer if you do). I seem to recall that Propel uses this approach. — halfer, Dec 29 '12 at 21:57

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 29 '12 at 21:55

7

The included file may have a return statement outside of any function. If this happens, the script stops running the included file and the "return value" of the require_once call is the value of the return statement.

Docs

answered Dec 29 '12 at 21:55

Niet the Dark Absol

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I didn't know that, I find it completely hideous, but good to know. +1 – Daniel Figueroa Dec 29 '12 at 21:57
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@DanielFigueroa I use it frequently in console applications, it's actually pretty useful for development, since you can edit a file and therefore change the behaviour of the "function" without having to exit and relaunch the program. – Niet the Dark Absol Dec 29 '12 at 21:59
I didn't think of that, thats two things you've learned me today.Thanks for that! – Daniel Figueroa Dec 29 '12 at 22:04

PHP Statement Explanation

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