Making variable avaliable outside function- ?global

[meltingpoint]

I run these functions to find the key of a given element inside an array.  Like so;

$ban_ip_file = file("ip_file.txt");
foreach($ban_ip_file as $key => $value)
{
$value = trim($value);
if($value == $ip_from_form)// passed to page by a form
$set = $key;
}

How do I make $set available for testing and file writing further down the script?

 

Tried assigning global $set; just above the $set=$key; ----but it did not work.

 

 

[objnoob]

you can use the return keyword inside the function to return a value!

 

$myVariable = myFunction('Bye');

function myFunction($var){
  switch ($var){
    case 'Hi';
      return 'Hiya!';
      break;
   case 'Bye':
      return 'See you later!';
      break;
   default:
      return 'Sorry, I don\'t understand';
  }
}

[meltingpoint]

objNoob- I don't follow at all how that will work for this case?

[PFMaBiSmAd]

Your title implies that the code you posted is contained within a user-written function? Is that so and if so, please post the whole function definition and an example of how you are calling it.

[meltingpoint]

My apologies for not being more clear.  It is not in a user defined function.  it is simply run as you see it.  The code above gives the following;

 

Fatal error: Can't use function return value in write context in /home/XXXX/public_html/ban_ip.php on line 31

 

Line 31  follows the above code and is:

if(strlen($set) = "")// line 31
{
echo " There was not a match to the IP address to delete";
exit;
}

[meltingpoint]

Sorry guys..............dump error.  if(strlen($set = "")) ----------should be ($set == "")

 

Threw everything off.  Late and I'm calling it a day.

 

Thanks for the help.