About function quote parameter in PHP

In general , we can use quote in function like this .

function index1(&$test){ $test .= 'inner'; } $test = 'outer'; index1($test); echo $test;//output: outerinner 

we can see the outer variable test be changed.

 

Then we change the code like this :

function index1(&$test){ unset($test); $test = 'inner'; } $test = 'outer'; index1($test); echo $test; // what's the result? 

It seems like will output nothing , because the variable was been unset and the new variable be set 'inner' was not in the outer space , but the correct result is it will output 'outer'.

There was another example to use global variable :

function index2(){ global $test; unset ($test); $test = 'inner'; } global $test; $test = 'outer'; index2(); echo $test;//the result will also output : outer 

 

So I think , actully , the quote parameter in the function only pass a data address , like pointer in C language . With this result , we can go though the example below samplly :

function index1(&$array){ unset($array); } $test_array = array('one'=>'two','three'=>'four'); index1($test_array); print_r($test_array); /** * result * Array ( [one] => two [three] => four ) */ function index2(&$array){ unset($array['one']);//beware of this place } $test_array2 = array('one'=>'two','three'=>'four'); index2($test_array2); print_r($test_array2); /** * result * Array ( [three] => four ) */