returning sql array in php - php

Question

I am having trouble in returning data in php from an SQL query. here is my code:
public function get_audit_message($productId,$accountId)
{
$sql_list ="SELECT notes
FROM ".$this->tables_audit."
WHERE productId = '".mysql_real_escape_string($productId)."'
AND accountId = '".mysql_real_escape_string($accountId)."'
";
$query = $this->db->query($sql_list);
if($query->num_rows() > 0)
{
$return = $query->result_array();
return $return;
}
else return false;
}
the reason I am having trouble is that as it is at return $return; returns the correct number of results but only displays the word "array". then if i change it to return $return[0]; returns the first entry of information correctly.
So what i want to be able to do is select all array numbers e.g return $return[*]; if only was possible.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

return $return; is the correct way to return an array from this function, but you can't just echo() the return value, since it's an array. When you try to echo an array, you get just the literal word "Array" (this also raises a notice which you would've seen with error reporting turned on).
You have to iterate over it and print each array element out, or use implode():
$array = $obj->get_audit_message($productId,$accountId); // However you call it
echo implode( "<br />\n", $array) . "<br />\n";
Or:
$array = $obj->get_audit_message($productId,$accountId); // However you call it
foreach( $array as $el) {
echo $el . "<br />\n";
}
Both of the above snippets will produce the exact same output.

Answer 2

There is several easy ways to display content of PHP Array in HTML.
The most simple is to view it via print_r command like this:
print_r ($my_array);
If you need to be "nice" formatted, add PRE tag like this:
echo "<pre>";
print_r($my_array);
echo "</pre>";
or like this:
echo "<pre>".print_r($my_array, 1)."</pre>";
Also, there is similar var_dump and var_export PHP function:
echo "<pre>";
var_dump($my_array);
echo "</pre>";
or
echo "<pre>";
var_export($my_array);
echo "</pre>";
Just choose your preferred stile.