passing POST array to php function

Question

Can i pass the entire POST array into a function and handle it within the function?

such as

PostInfo($_POST);


function PostInfo($_POST){
    $item1 = $_POST[0];
    $item2 = $_POST[1];
    $item3 = $_POST[2];
        //do something
return $result;

}

or is this the correct way of doing this?

Those are superglobal variable. You may see them in every functions, if register_global is on. — Aif
– Aif, Commented Nov 2, 2009 at 12:09
Please note that register_globals (not register_global) is not required to use $HTTP_POST_VARS (the non-superglobal and deprecated brother to $_POST)! See here: de.php.net/manual/en/ini.core.php#ini.register-globals — Stefan Gehrig
– Stefan Gehrig, Commented Nov 2, 2009 at 12:21
Right, that was my other guess as to it's use. Couldn't remember exactly, but I knew Aif was wrong. At any rate, register_globals is bad! Beyond that, it's deprecated. Don't use it! — Matthew Scharley
– Matthew Scharley, Commented Nov 2, 2009 at 12:33

Machavity · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-17 14:19:37Z

9

Yes. If you are going to name the local variable $_POST though, don't bother. $_POST is a 'superglobal', a global that doesn't require the global keyword to use it outside normal scope. Your above function would work without the parameter on it.

NOTE You cannot use any superglobal (i.e. $_POST) as a function argument in PHP 5.4 or later. It will generate a Fatal error

edited Apr 17, 2015 at 14:19

Machavity♦

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answered Nov 2, 2009 at 12:10

Matthew Scharley

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Comments

Jimbo · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-17 14:31:05Z

9

You can actually pass $_POST to any function which takes in an array.

function process(array $request)
{

}

process($_POST);
process($_GET);

Great for testing.

edited Apr 17, 2015 at 14:31

Jimbo

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answered Nov 2, 2009 at 12:13

Extrakun

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1 Comment

Machavity Over a year ago

This is the preferred way to do it. It's called dependency injection

Stefan Gehrig · Accepted Answer · 2009-11-02 12:22:12Z

The $_POST-array is an array like every other array in PHP (besides being a so-called superglobal), so you can pass it as a function parameter, pass it around and even change it (even though this might not be wise in most situations).

Regarding your code, I'd change it a bit to make it more clear:

PostInfo($_POST);

function PostInfo($postVars)
{
    $item1 = $postVars[0];
    $item2 = $postVars[1];
    $item3 = $postVars[2];
        //do something
    return $result;
}

This will visibly separate the function argument from the $_POST superglobal. Another option would be to simple remove the function argument and rely on the superglobal-abilities of $_POST:

PostInfo();

function PostInfo()
{
    $item1 = $_POST[0];
    $item2 = $_POST[1];
    $item3 = $_POST[2];
        //do something
    return $result;
}

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