Noob question on Functions 1

[gpalmer711]

Hi All,

Sorry if this is a little basic but I am quite new to PHP.

I'm currently trying to make a custom front page for a clients phpBB forum and am going through the PHP code and using what I need.

I have the code working as I want it to, but now i'm trying to streamline the page so that it loads faster. There is a block of code that is being used over and over so I wanted to put it into a function. However when I try I get various errors, I think that these are relating to variables that are declared in files that are included using the include statement. Here's the code

function greg($forum_id){
$sql = "SELECT t.*, u.username, u.user_id, u2.username as user2, u2.user_id as id2, p.post_username, p2.post_username AS post_username2, p2.post_time 
	FROM " . TOPICS_TABLE . " t, " . USERS_TABLE . " u, " . POSTS_TABLE . " p, " . POSTS_TABLE . " p2, " . USERS_TABLE . " u2
	WHERE t.forum_id = $forum_id
		AND t.topic_poster = u.user_id
		AND p.post_id = t.topic_first_post_id
		AND p2.post_id = t.topic_last_post_id
		AND u2.user_id = p2.poster_id 
		AND t.topic_type <> " . POST_ANNOUNCE . "
		AND t.topic_type <> " . POST_STICKY . " 
		$limit_topics_time
	ORDER BY t.topic_type DESC, t.topic_last_post_id DESC 
	LIMIT $start, 1";
if ( !($result = $db->sql_query($sql)) )
{
   message_die(GENERAL_ERROR, 'Could not obtain topic information', '', __LINE__, __FILE__, $sql);
}
}

It errors out on this line

if ( !($result = $db->sql_query($sql)) )

The error code is

Fatal error: Call to a member function sql_query() on a non-object in c:\Inetpub\[URL unfurl="true"]wwwroot\phpBB2\greg1.php[/URL] on line 59

So i tried adding the code

global $db;

at the start of the original block. Then get the following error

SQL Error : 1064 You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ' 1' at line 12

which relates to the number 1 at the end of my SQL statement.

So I guess what I am really asking is, is this just a silly noob question from not understanding functions correctly in PHP or something else?

Thanks for looking

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[sleipnir214]

It looks to me like you build your query using the variables $forum_id, $limit_topics_time and $start.

However, I do not see mention of your having used the global operator on these variables, not do I see code inside the function which initializes them.

I suspect that PHP is generating warnings on these variable references that it is not showing you. I recommend that in php.ini on development boxes, you set [tt]error_reporting[/tt] to [tt]E_ALL[/tt]



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[gpalmer711]

Thanks for that sleipnir214

I already have the php.ini file set to E_ALL.

You post did make me realise that it was a simple case of adding global references for $limit_topics_time and $start

Thanks for that and a star for you

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[sleipnir214]

Interesting.

I would have thought that an attempt to use in a string a variable that had not been initialized would have generated a warning or notice. And an error_reporting setting of E_ALL should have configured PHP to display that warning.



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[gpalmer711]

Well the strange thing is that both $limit_topics_time and $start are initialized in another file that is included using the include statement. If I don't put the code in a function then the it works fine without having to add the global declarations.

I guess I need to do alot more reading on how functions work, and php in general

Thanks again

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk