How to isolate elements in a 2-element array returned from a function?

Question

I am using a PHP function that will return 2 arrays. Below is my function:

function imserv($id){
    $xml = simplexml_load_file("feed.xml");
    $images = $xml->xpath('//IMAGE');
    $services=$xml->xpath('//SERVICES');

    return array ($images,$services);
}

I use the below code to get results from the services block:

$services = imgserv('5874');

foreach ($services as $servicerow)
{   
    var_dump($servicerow);
}

The problem is that when it try to get only the values of the services, it returns both, services and images together. I need to to use both in two different places so how do I separate it to be used differently?

Below is my feed XML:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<FOUND>
<NFO>
<IMAGES>
    <IMAGE>
      <SMALL>images/small.jpg</SMALL> 
      <MED>images/med.jpg</MED> 
      <LARGE>images/large.jpg</LARGE> 
      <EXTRAL>images/extra.jpg</EXTRAL> 
    </IMAGE>
    <IMAGE>
      <SMALL>images1/small.jpg</SMALL> 
      <MED>images1/med.jpg </MED> 
      <LARGE>images1/large.jpg</LARGE> 
      <EXTRAL>images1/extra.jpg</EXTRAL> 
    </IMAGE>
    <IMAGE>
      <SMALL>images2/small.jpg</SMALL> 
      <MED>images2/med.jpg </MED> 
      <LARGE>images2/large.jpg</LARGE> 
      <EXTRAL>images2/extra.jpg</EXTRAL> 
      </IMAGE>
   </IMAGES>

<SERVICES>
<GROUP><GROUPNAME>Officials</GROUPNAME><SERVICE>
<TYPE>Handy</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
<SERVICE>
<TYPE>Bedroom</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
<SERVICE>
<TYPE>Meeting Rooms</TYPE>

<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
<SERVICE>
<TYPE>Conferencing</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
<SERVICE>
<TYPE>Offices</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
</GROUP>
<GROUP><GROUPNAME>Reception</GROUPNAME><SERVICE>

<TYPE>Support</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
<SERVICE>
<TYPE>Reception</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
<SERVICE>
<TYPE>Telephone</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>

</GROUP>
<GROUP><GROUPNAME>Authent</GROUPNAME><SERVICE>
<TYPE>Cams</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
</GROUP>
<GROUP><GROUPNAME>IT</GROUPNAME><SERVICE>
<TYPE>Internet</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
<SERVICE>
<TYPE>Telephone System</TYPE>

<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
</GROUP>
<GROUP><GROUPNAME>Amenities</GROUPNAME>
<SERVICE>
<TYPE>24/7</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>
<SERVICE>
<TYPE>AC</TYPE>
<NB>0</NB>
</SERVICE>

</GROUP>
</SERVICES>
</NFO>
</FOUND>

SilentGhost · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-07 14:07:54Z

5

This will do the trick:

list($images, $services) = imgserv('5874');

answered Feb 7, 2010 at 14:07

SilentGhost

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Comments

Michas · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-07 14:51:11Z

1

It would be easier if You change function to something like this:

function imserv($id){
$a = array();
$xml=simplexml_load_file("feed.xml");

$a['images']=$xml->xpath('//IMAGE');
$a['services']=$xml->xpath('//SERVICES');

return $a;
}

Then You will be able to write something like this

$imservarr=imgserv('5874');
foreach ($imservarr['services'] as $servicerow)
{   
var_dump($servicerow);    
}
foreach ($imservarr['images'] as $imagerow)
{   
var_dump($imagerow);    
}

answered Feb 7, 2010 at 14:51

Michas

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Comments

mickmackusa · Accepted Answer · 2024-01-17 10:53:13Z

Constructing your function's returned data as an indexed array will make it easier to unpack in the calling script. In modern PHP, list() is replaced with "array destructuring" syntax. Or you can just access an element by its index. Demo

function imgserv(int $id): array
{
    $xml = simplexml_load_file("feed.xml");
    return [
        $xml->xpath('//IMAGE'),
        $xml->xpath('//SERVICES'),
    ];
}

[$images, $services] = imgserv('5874');
var_export($services);
// or var_export(imgserv('5874')[1]);

Alternatively, returning an associative array will be much easier to understand.

return [
    'images' = $xml->xpath('//IMAGE'),
    'services' = $xml->xpath('//SERVICES'),
];

Then you access var_export(imgserv('5874')['services]);

Ultimately, we need to discuss the smelly elephant in the room. It seems your application is defying the rule of single-responsibility. When a function is doing too many things, a symptom is needing to return an array of data which doesn't need to be associated as an array.

To refactor, pull the separate processes into their own function. Demo

function parseFeedById($id)
{
    return simplexml_load_file("feed.xml");
}

function getImagesFromXML($xml)
{
    return $xml->xpath('//IMAGE');
}

function getServicesFromXML($xml)
{
    return $xml->xpath('//SERVICES');
}

var_export(getServicesFromXML(parseFeedById('5874')));

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