Question

I need to create a function which will have large amount of parameters can be null or value. Now I am creating function as below example:

function container($args){

    $args += array(
            'limit'             =>      10,
            'container'         =>      null,
            'container_class'   =>      null,
            'list_class'        =>      null,
        );

    echo'<'.$args['container'].' class="'.$args['container_class'].'" >';

    echo 'My function will have other content here with the '.$args['limit'];

    echo '<ul class="'.$args['list_class'].'" >';
    echo '<li>list itme here</li>';
    echo '</ul>'

    echo '</'.$container.'>';    

}

This is fine if I have to pass 4-5 value in array but what if I have more than 15-20 key to pass? There must be some appropriate way to achieve.

So how can I create a function in such efficient way to pass many array key as a parameters?

Thanks a lot

Answer 1

15-20 keys is not really a big array. When you need to think about how to pass something into args it’s when you have 1000+ keys.

Anyway you can use “Passing by reference” concept (see http://php.net/manual/en/language.references.pass.php). This concept is useful when you have to modify the variable into function without any returning statment.
But to achieve this goal, instead of sending a copy of your variable, PHP just send a key that reference the variable in memory.

And this key does not depend of the size of the variable.

How to use? By using & symbol in your function declaration
ex:

function container(&$args) 
{
    // your function
}

$args = array(1, 2, 3 ..., 100000);
container($args);

But if you use “Passing by reference” concept be careful to do not modify the $args or $args will be modify on the main script.

Final world: if you have less than 50 keys do not care about how to pass your args, just use by copy (default behavior) will be safer!