Retrieving array values from within a class

Question

Working on my first OOP app and I am having some trouble accessing the values of an array returned by a public function within my class. Here is the function -

//Process new transaction
    public function addTransaction($amount, $payee, $category, $date, $notes) {
        global $db;
        //Check to see if payee exists in Payee table
        $checkPayee = $db->prepare("SELECT * FROM payees WHERE name = ?");
        $checkPayee->execute(array($payee));
        $checkPayeeNum = $checkPayee->fetchColumn();
        $payeeDetails = $checkPayee->fetch();
        if ($checkPayeeNum < 1) {
            $insertPayee = $db->prepare("INSERT INTO payees (name, cat) VALUES(?, ?)");
            $insertPayee->execute(array($payee, $cat));
        } else {
            if ($payeeDetails['cat'] == "") {
                $updatePayee = $db->prepare("UPDATE payees SET cat=? WHERE name=?");
                $updatePayee->execute(array($cat, $payee));
            }
        }
        //Process the transaction
        $proc = $db->prepare("INSERT INTO transactions (amount, payee, cat, date, notes) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)");
        $proc->execute(array($amount, $payee, $cat, $date, $notes));
        //Prepare array for JSON output
        $todaysTrans = $this->fetchDailyTotal();
        $weeklyTotal = $this->fetchWeeklyTotal();
        $accountBalance = $this->balanceAccount();
        $jsonOutput = array("dailyTotal" => $todaysTrans, "weeklyTotal" => $weeklyTotal, "accountBalance" => $accountBalance);
        return $jsonOutput; 
    }

Instantiating the object is not the issue, trying to figure out how to access the $jsonOutput array. How would one accomplish this?

Thanks!

You can get the result by calling this.addTransaction($amount, $payee, $category, $date, $notes) within your class. — Ehtesham
– Ehtesham, Commented Sep 22, 2011 at 1:14
To clarify, I need to access the array in another PHP file in which the class is included. So I am instantiating the object, calling the function, and I am stuck trying to access the returned array and its values — NightMICU
– NightMICU, Commented Sep 22, 2011 at 1:16
How are you trying to access the array in the file in which you have included the class. code? — Ehtesham
– Ehtesham, Commented Sep 22, 2011 at 1:22
The function in the class returns an array, $jsonOutput. The only way I can think of to access the values of this array is as follows (throws an error) - $addTrans = new addTransaction($amount, $payee, $category, $date, $notes); Then, to access the values of the array, I am trying this $payee = $addTrans['payee'] — NightMICU
– NightMICU, Commented Sep 22, 2011 at 1:32

FtDRbwLXw6 · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-22 01:30:54Z

2

// In some other PHP file...
include 'YourClass.php';

$yourObject = new YourClass();
$returnedArray = $yourObject->addTransaction(...);

// Access the returned array values
echo 'Daily Total: ', $returnedArray['dailyTotal'], "\n";
echo 'Weekly Total: ', $returnedArray['weeklyTotal'], "\n";
echo 'Account Balance: ', $returnedArray['accountBalance'], "\n";

Also, for what it's worth, it's very confusing for you to be returning a PHP array called $jsonOutput, as it's not JSON encoded, which is what most developers will expect it to be. If you're wanting it to be JSON encoded, use json_encode() (see here for more info).

answered Sep 22, 2011 at 1:30

FtDRbwLXw6

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1 Comment

NightMICU Over a year ago

Ahhhh of course. Such a simple thing to miss. And good call on the name of the array - in the file that the class is included into, I am encoding JSON. I used that variable name in the class to remind myself of that but I may reconsider. Thanks!

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