Using a variable outside of the while loop (scope)

Question

Small problem regarding scope in PHP, I can't seem to call the variable $report outside of the while loop. I have tried various things, including return. This doesn't work, the only two functions that work here are if I echo the variable $report inside the loop, or if I print it. Which I do not want to do, although it solves the problem, but I don't want random gibberish on the user's screen.

I have been looking around for the last 15 or so minutes, and I haven't seen any problems quite like this one on here.

Any help would be appreciated.

<?
require "functions2.php";
require "members.php";
$query = "SELECT MAX(DOCid) as prevDOCid from reports";
$result = mysql_query($query);

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
    $prevDOCid = $row[prevDOCid];

$thisDOCid = $prevDOCid+1;
$report = "a"."b".$thisDOCid;


}
echo $report;
?>

if you are echo ing $report inside while loop , do you get any op? — Mithun Satheesh
– Mithun Satheesh, Commented Sep 7, 2011 at 17:09
PHP doesn't really have a concept of scope like, say, Java's where this would be a problem. If $report is not declared by the time you get to the echo statement, I am guessing PHP never enters the while loop in the first place. — NullUserException
– NullUserException, Commented Sep 7, 2011 at 17:12
Hmm, well it's not working. I am obviously not just trying to echo the $report, I am just posting the code this way for simplicity's sake. The only way I can use the variable outside of the loop is if I echo it first. — RD Ward
– RD Ward, Commented Sep 7, 2011 at 17:14
PS: You really shouldn't be using $row[prevDOCid]. Use quotes: $row['prevDOCid']. It might work, but it's wrong. — NullUserException
– NullUserException, Commented Sep 7, 2011 at 17:15

Tbone · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-23 22:23:22Z

19

You could try to define the variable before the loop, e.g.

$report = "";
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
    $report .= "a"."b".$row["prevDOCid"]+1;
}
echo $report;

I hope this helps you!

Edit Use .= not +=

edited Jul 23, 2014 at 22:23

Tbone

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answered Sep 7, 2011 at 17:14

Vilius

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4 Comments

NullUserException Over a year ago

@RVward You are wrong. They can be declared in the loop and be used outside of it. Here's proof. The difference is this concatenates new values to $report, instead of just overwriting it with each iteration of the loop.

NullUserException Over a year ago

@RVWard Interesting. So if you run the script exactly as it is in your question, it will tell you $report is undefined?

Vilius Over a year ago

What result do you actually expect? Purhaps in the last loop you just override the variable with a null value...

Yousef Altaf Over a year ago

@Vilius what if I want to access this var on the top of the while loop is it possible?

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