Function only returns first array

Question

I'm trying to add some settings to my WordPress options page that depend on the number of categories. I created this function to use inside the main array, but it only returns the first array, leaving out the other 3 I have. A print_r will show all of them, so I can't seem to figure this out.

function listSections() {
  $categories = get_categories();
    foreach($categories as $category) {
      return array (
        "name" => $category->cat_name . " Label Color",
        "desc" => "Select a label color.",
        "id" => $shortname."_label_color" . $category->cat_ID,
        "type" => "select",
        "options" => $color_options,
        "std" => ""
      );
    }
}

You are returning inside a loop. That will cause the behaviour you describe. You need to add each hit to a temporary array, and return that after the loop — Pekka
– Pekka, Commented Aug 27, 2011 at 16:09

Matthew · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-27 16:09:27Z

4

You can only return once!

function listSections() {
  $categories = get_categories();
  $return = array();
    foreach($categories as $category) {
      $return[] = array (
        "name" => $category->cat_name . " Label Color",
        "desc" => "Select a label color.",
        "id" => $shortname."_label_color" . $category->cat_ID,
        "type" => "select",
        "options" => $color_options,
        "std" => ""
      );
    }
    return $return;
}

The fix is push each array into a temporary array, then return that array at the end of the loop.

answered Aug 27, 2011 at 16:09

Matthew

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5 Comments

Matthew Over a year ago

@Fraser It wasn't when I started typing.

Norbert Over a year ago

In order to work, each array needs to be added to the main array individually, so returning array(array()) will not work.

Matthew Over a year ago

@Norbert Use your head. There's an infinite number of solutions to that problem e.g. passing in the main array by reference and pushing new arrays to that: listSections(&$mainarray) { ... $mainarray[] = array(...

Treffynnon Over a year ago

@Fraser Since when was that an acceptable reason to down vote the answer anyway? You should only be down voting if it does not answer the question or is inaccurate.

Fraser Over a year ago

sorry, didn't mean to be off - I apologies...I will reverse the vote asap. I got out of bed on the wrong side or something.

Kibbee · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-27 16:19:43Z

1

The function can only return once. It cannot return multiple things in a loop. After it reaches the first return, it exits the function completely. If you want to return an array of arrays, you should use the following.

function listSections() {
    $results = array();
    $categories = get_categories();

    foreach($categories as $category) {
        $results[] = array (
        "name" => $category->cat_name . " Label Color",
        "desc" => "Select a label color.",
        "id" => $shortname."_label_color" . $category->cat_ID,
        "type" => "select",
        "options" => $color_options,
        "std" => ""
        );
    }

    return $results;
}

using the syntax $result[] = xyz; will append xyz to the end of the array. You can loop through the returned array, with some code like

$results = listSections();

$count = count($results);
for ($i = 0; $i < $count; $i++) {
    $category = $results[$i];
    echo $category["name"];
    etc......
}

edited Aug 27, 2011 at 16:19

answered Aug 27, 2011 at 16:12

Kibbee

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2 Comments

Norbert Over a year ago

Is there a way to return each array separately (not inside another array) without using another loop outside the function?

Kibbee Over a year ago

The function can only return 1 value. To return multiple values, you have to return an array containing those values. Even if it could return multiple values, how would the calling program access those?

user622367 · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-27 16:12:10Z

0

When you call return from a function it always immediately ends the execution of that function, so as soon as the first array gets returned, the function ends - which is why you are only getting the first array back.

You could try returning a multi-dimensional array (an array that contains all of the arrays you'd like to be returned) instead.

answered Aug 27, 2011 at 16:12

user622367

Comments

Sylvain Cleymans · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-27 16:12:45Z

0

The goal of the returnkeyword is to exit the function. So it is normal that your fonction only return the first element. You can for exemple put all the elements into an array and return this array :

function listSections() {
  $categories = get_categories();
  $arr = array();
    foreach($categories as $category) {
      $arr[] =  array (
        "name" => $category->cat_name . " Label Color",
        "desc" => "Select a label color.",
        "id" => $shortname."_label_color" . $category->cat_ID,
        "type" => "select",
        "options" => $color_options,
        "std" => ""
      );
    }

    return $arr;
}

answered Aug 27, 2011 at 16:12

Sylvain Cleymans

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