PHP array_unshift not working within function

Question

Here is the preceding part of the code that returns an array containing either 4 or 5 indexes:

$page = icl_object_id(2880, 'page', true);
$url = get_permalink($page);
$parts = explode("/", $url);

I created a function that counts the amount of indexes in the array. The idea behind this is to artificially inflate the array with 1 index in case the total is 4.

function partsSumcheck() {
    if (count($parts) === 5) {
        return $parts;
    } else {
        $parts = array_unshift($parts, 'filler');
        return $parts;
    };
}
partsSumcheck();
var_dump($parts);

However, when the array returns with 4 indexes, I do an var_dump on $parts, and the array still has 4 indexes, even after the unshifting. Why?

I see two things, first you are not passing $parts to your function. Then array_unsift, doesn't returns a new array, but the number of new elements, so should not assign the $parts from array_unshift. — yvan
– yvan, Commented Dec 5, 2018 at 21:57
I added $parts as a parameter, but still doesn't help. Maybe I am thinking too much JS-like? — Marco V
– Marco V, Commented Dec 5, 2018 at 21:59

Tyler Marien · Accepted Answer · 2018-12-05 22:00:16Z

3

array_unshift returns the number of new elements in the array, not the new array. Plus you should pass in the array and re-assign it after it returns.

function partsSumcheck($parts) {
    if (count($parts) === 5) {
        return $parts;
    } else {
        array_unshift($parts, 'filler');
        return $parts;
    };
}
$parts = partsSumcheck($parts);

answered Dec 5, 2018 at 22:00

Tyler Marien

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1 Comment

Marco V Over a year ago

Yes this is working like a charm. Thank you. I haven't coded for a while and I learned to code through JS. Perhaps my experience reflects in my PHP coding style.

Ondřej Doněk · Accepted Answer · 2018-12-05 21:59:27Z

-1

You should add global $parts on top of the function body.

answered Dec 5, 2018 at 21:59

Ondřej Doněk

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2 Comments

Marco V Over a year ago

Thanks for your answer but it didn't help

GrumpyCrouton Over a year ago

Global keyword is generally considered bad practice. edit: not my DV

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