How to return array in php? - php

Question

How to return array in php ? Actually I want to return whole value of $x[] insted of last index of $x[]. Please help me...
<?php
function top() {
require './php/connection.php';
$sql = "SELECT * FROM tbl_add";
$query = mysqli_query($connect, $sql);
$n = 0;
while ($result = mysqli_fetch_assoc($query)) {
$a[$n] = $result['add_id'];
$n = $n + 1;
}
$n = $n - 1;
for ($j = 0; $j < $n; $j++) {
for ($i = 0; $i < $n - 1 - $j; $i++) {
if ($a[$i] > $a[$i + 1]) {
$tmp = $a[$i];
$a[$i] = $a[$i + 1];
$a[$i + 1] = $tmp;
}
}
}
for ($i = 0; $i <= $n; $i++) {
echo $a[$i] . '<br>';
}
$j = 1;
for ($i = 0; $i <= 5; $i++) {
$r = $a[$i];
$sql = "SELECT * FROM tbl_add WHERE add_id='$r'";
$query = mysqli_query($connect, $sql);
$result = mysqli_fetch_assoc($query);
if ($result) {
$x[] = $result['mail'];
return $x[];
}
}
}
?>

Answer 1

return $x[]; is invalid syntax.
In expression $x[] = $result['mail'];, $x[] doesn't mean "the last element of $x". It is just a courtesy of PHP that spares the programmer of writing $x[count($x)]1 instead.
Returning an array is as easy as return $x; (given $x is an array).
Btw, there is no place in your code where $x is initialized as array. You just add values to some variable that doesn't exist, using the array syntax. PHP helps you and creates an array first and stores it in the $x variable but this practice is strongly discouraged. You should add $x = array(); somewhere before you use $x for the first time (outside the loop, of course). For example, you can put it before the line for ($i = 0; $i <= 5; $i++) {.
`
1 This statement is not entirely correct. However, if the values are added to the array using only the $x[] = ... syntax (as it happens in the posted code) then it is correct.

Answer 2

You have to return $x
Then when you call this function $data = top();
Now you get return data of function top to variable name data

Answer 3

// the code below will return $x as it is, independent of what it is. Array, integer, string etc..
Return $x;
// if you need to return two values use:
Return array($x, $y);
// again bit variables are returned as they are.
To call the function and get the values/array use:
$array = top();
Var_dump($array); //should be $x from your function