Returning multiple values from a function/method

Question

I have a method in my class that I want to return more than one value:

public function lockFields($lockFieldsDBs, $lockValueConstant) {
    if ($lockFieldsDBs == $lockValueConstant) {
        $lockFieldValue = 'readonly="readonly"';
        $lockImage      = 'image_url_goes_here';
    }
    else {
        $lockFieldValue = null;
        $lockImage = null;
    }

    return $lockField;
    return $lockImage;
}


...........


$lockFieldsDBs = 'OK';
$lockValueConstant = 'OK';

$formHandler->lockFields($lockFieldsDBs, $lockValue);

When trying to print out a value like this: echo $lockImage;, I am getting Undefined variable: lockImage.

Why isn't the value being returned?

point 1: you miss to return anything if condition is true, point 2: you cant return 2 variables if you need both, return an array — donald123, Feb 03 '15 at 14:51
Possible duplicate of [Multiple returns from function](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3451906/multiple-returns-from-function) — miken32, May 29 '16 at 04:04

silkfire · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-03T15:22:12.213

4

You can return two or more values from a function with help of the list() language construct:

public function lockFields($lockFieldsDBs, $lockValueConstant) {
    if($lockFieldsDBs == $lockValueConstant){
        $lockFieldValue = 'readonly="readonly"';
        $lockImage = 'image_url_goes_here';
    }
    else {
        $lockFieldValue = null;
        $lockImage = null;
    }

    return [$lockField, $lockImage];
}



list($lockField, $lockImage) = $formHandler->lockFields($lockFieldsDBs, $lockValue);

edited Feb 03 '15 at 15:22

answered Feb 03 '15 at 14:57

silkfire

24,585
15
82
105

Hi, should the list line in the class or the when I call the class. Thank you. – ZYZ123ABC242526 Feb 04 '15 at 07:43
@ZYZ123ABC242526 Outside the class, right where you're calling the method. – silkfire Feb 04 '15 at 10:47

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 03 '15 at 14:59

The problem is you are returning more than one variable form you function. You can't. you have to assign an array or a list to do this job, to do this use either of these codes before ending your function:

return ['lockField'=>$lockField, 'lockImage'=>$lockImage];

or

return array($lockField, $lockImage);

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 03 '15 at 14:51

You can only return one variable in a PHP function. If you need to return two, you need to use an array (or an object).

public function lockFields($lockFieldsDBs,$lockValueConstant)
{
    if($lockFieldsDBs == $lockValueConstant){
        $lockFieldValue = 'readonly="readonly"';
        $lockImage = 'image_url_goes_here';
    } else {
        $lockFieldValue = null;
        $lockImage = null;
    }
    return ['lockField'=>$lockField, 'lockImage'=>$lockImage];
}

Or `yield` but that gets a bit more complicated ;) – Niet the Dark Absol Feb 03 '15 at 14:51 — Niet the Dark Absol, Feb 03 '15 at 14:51

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 03 '15 at 14:52

You cannot return two variables in a php function:

return $lockField;
return $lockImage;

You can put them in an array:

return array($lockField, $lockImage);

to use it:

$response = $formHandler->lockFields($lockFieldsDB,$lockValue)
echo $response[0]; // this is $lockField in your function 
echo $response[1]; // this is $lockImage in your function

agoldev · Answer 5 · 2015-02-03T14:59:05.260

$lockImage is a variable inside of the method. Why do you think it will be available globally? To be clear:

public function lockFields($lockFieldsDBs,$lockValueConstant){
  $lockImage = "some value";
  return $lockImage;
}

$formHandler->lockFields($lockFieldsDB,$lockValue);
echo $lockImage; // variable $lockImage does not exists

won't work. It should be:

public function lockFields($lockFieldsDBs,$lockValueConstant){
  $lockImage = "some value";
  return $lockImage;
}

$lockImage = $formHandler->lockFields($lockFieldsDB,$lockValue);
echo $lockImage; // "some value"

The other answers point out that you need to return the value properly. But I think you also do not fetch the return correctly.

Returning multiple values from a function/method

5 Answers5