Episode 13: Passing values to a function

You pass values to a function by putting the values between the parentheses when you call the function, as follows:

functionname(value,value,...);

Of course, the variables can’t just show up. The function must be expecting them. The function statement includes variables names for the values it’s expecting, as follows:

function functionname($varname1,$varname2,...)

{

statements

return;

}

For example, the following function computes the sales tax:

function compute_salestax($amount,$custState)

{

switch ( $custState )

{

case “OR” :

$salestaxrate = 0;

break;

case “CA” :

$salestaxrate = 1.0;

break;

default:

$salestaxrate = .5;

break;

}

$salestax = $amount * $salestaxrate;

echo “$salestax<br />”;

}

The first line shows that the function expects two values — $amount and $custState. When you call the function, you pass it two values, as follows:

$amount = 2000.00;

$custState = “CA”;

compute_salestax($amount,$custState);

In this case, the amount passed in is 2000.00 and the state is CA. The output is 2000, because the salestaxrate for CA is 1.0.

Written by “Shojib”.