Funtion is not returning an array from 'else'

Question

I have following the recursive function:

public function get_referred_list_down($referral,$level){
    if($level>1){
        $users = $this->Invoice->User->find('list',array('conditions'=>array('User.referral'=>$referral),'fields'=>array('User.id','User.username')));
        $this->get_referred_list_down($users,$level-1);
    }else{
        $users = $this->Invoice->User->find('list',array('conditions'=>array('User.referral'=>$referral),'fields'=>array('User.id','User.username')));
    }
    return $users;
}

I am calling it as $this->get_referred_list_down('DSTL00004',2);

In if it returns the following array:

Array
(
    [9] => DSTL00005
    [10] => DSTL00006
    [11] => DSTL00007
    [12] => DSTL00008
    [13] => DSTL00009
)

I have passed it to the function again and it gives the following in else:

Array
(
    [14] => DSTL00010
    [15] => DSTL00011
    [16] => DSTL00012
    [17] => DSTL00013
)

But it returns the result of if rather than returning the result of else.

@Memor-X $referral variable is updated in else condition. so result is second array but return statement execute every time. I am unable to figure it out why its running every time. — عثمان غني, Sep 28 '16 at 02:15
your $users is changed every time you call the function again — CGeorgian, Sep 28 '16 at 02:17
@DionisL yes it is required behavior. But why return is called in if also? — عثمان غني, Sep 28 '16 at 02:22
actually in if there is call to function again so before going to return statement it calls the function recursively. In second loop it executes else statement and reach the return. But it is not working as expected — عثمان غني, Sep 28 '16 at 02:25
when you call it for "$this->get_referred_list_down('DSTL00004',2);" , first time $level>1 will be true , and it will again call itself and this time $level>1 will be false so it will go on else — CGeorgian, Sep 28 '16 at 02:25
enable the debug mode in core.php and see what queries executing during the process. — Suman Singh, Sep 28 '16 at 02:33

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited May 27 '22 at 09:06

It was solved by adding a return before the recursive call to the function, so now the code looks like:

public function get_referred_list_down($referral, $level){
    if($level>1){
        $users = $this->Invoice->User->find('list', array('conditions' => array('User.referral' => $referral), 'fields' => array('User.id', 'User.username')));
        return $this->get_referred_list_down($users, $level - 1);
    }else{
        $users = $this->Invoice->User->find('list', array('conditions' => array('User.referral' => $referral), 'fields' => array('User.id', 'User.username')));
    }
    return $users;
}

Thanks to PHP Recursive function not returning value.

Funtion is not returning an array from 'else'

1 Answers1