On May 30, 2007, at 6:32 AM, Richard Davey wrote:
Hi Dave,
Wednesday, May 30, 2007, 12:20:48 PM, you wrote:
If there is no need to return a value then I don't do so. However,
the
function is going to process something, and surely you should
check that the
processing has succeeded or failed?
I have exception and error handling dealt with fully in my functions,
by which stage the 'return' at the end becomes redundant because the
return value doesn't need checking as the error handler has already
taken over. However take the following:
$result = $this->calculateSomething($value);
If 'calculateSomething' has all the error handling it requires built
into it, then isn't checking the value of 'result' superfluous to
requirements? Yet even so, I still like to return something at the end
regardless :)
I normally (but not always) return (whether I will actually use that
value or not).
I guess another way to phrase the same question would be where do you
shift all of your error handling - inside the function itself, or in
the code that calls it (i.e. checking the $result in the example
above). Personally I handle it all in the function otherwise I'm
duplicating masses of result checking.
I spent some time thinking about this exact question and I came up
with several things:
1. How does PHP do it?
They have a function which performs whatever and returns an error
(code) upon failing. This allows every developer to deal with the
error in their own way.
2. Does this function need to be portable? (Short answer, yes, it
*should* be.)
Take these functions for example:
<?
function doSomethingToA ($a)
{
if (!$a) $_SESSION["not_portable"] = false;
else $_SESSION["not_portable"] = true;
return; // optional
}
function doSomethingToB ($b)
{
if (!$b) return false;
else return true;
}
// Non-portable function that probably won't work outside this
application
doSomethingToA ($_SESSION["whatever"]);
// Portable function that you can take anywhere! =D
$_SESSION["portable"] = doSomethingToB ($_SESSION["whatever"]);
?>
Yes, you may have to do some more error-checking on the outside of
the function. However, the question comes down to... what's your use
for it. It's almost a religious question - it's up to you on how you
code. Just be sure to weigh all the options.
~Philip
It isn't a case of wrong/right, just trying to gauge preferences here.
Cheers,
Rich
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