Why does my function not have access to the globally created array?

Question

I created an array outside of an functions, which means it should have global scope. I then try to loop through it from within a function, which should have access to the globally created array, but it throws an error when I attempt to do so.

$form_fields = array(
    'name',
    'locality',
    'url_slug',
    'address');

function step_1() {
    foreach($form_fields as $field) {
        echo $field . '<br />';
    }
}

step_1();

I am receiving the following error:

Undefined variable: form_fields -- at line 10

I would like to avoid using the global keyword or having to add the array as an argument for the function as I only want to read the array and not change it.

How can I access the globally created $form_fields array from within the step_1() function?

Pass it as argument?! The function has it's own scope (Also see this: http://stackoverflow.com/q/16959576/3933332) — Rizier123, Apr 28 '15 at 07:59
Read the php scope manual: http://php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php — user3415653, Apr 28 '15 at 07:59
... and correct the echo argument, because there is no meaning — Kancho Iliev, Apr 28 '15 at 08:05

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 28 '15 at 07:59

2

you need to define global to $form_fields in function.

Like this:

function step_1() {
   global $form_fields;

    foreach($form_fields as $field) {
        echo $form_fields . '<br />';
    }
}

answered Apr 28 '15 at 07:59

Dinesh

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it again won't work because there is an error on echo - it has to be echo $field – Kancho Iliev Apr 28 '15 at 08:04
fixed the echo. Nice catch. – zeckdude Apr 28 '15 at 08:07
Dinesh, I've been reading that it is good to avoid using the global keyword though. Is passing the array to the function as an argument the only other option? – zeckdude Apr 28 '15 at 08:08

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 30 '15 at 03:54

In your loop you want to use $field for echo and not $form_fields. If you do not want to use the global keyword:

function step_1() {
    global $form_fields;
    foreach($form_fields as $field) {
        echo $field . '<br />';
    }
}

Then the only other possibility is to access the $_GLOBALS Collection:

function step_1() {
    foreach($_GLOBALS["form_fields"] as $field) {
        echo $field . '<br />';
    }
}

Hope this answers your question.

Why does my function not have access to the globally created array?

2 Answers2