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PHP Integrating PHP with Databases Limiting Records in SQL Pagination Function

Alfredo Prince
Alfredo Prince
6,175 Points
Posted by Alfredo Prince
Alfredo Prince
6,175 Points

What does it mean by "return the pagination value"

Am I supposed to use a literal return? Where?

index.php 
<?php
include "pagination.php";

/* add function here */
function pagination ($total_pages, $current_page, $section, $search){
$pagination = "<div class=\"pagination\">";
$pagination .= "Pages: ";  
for ($i = 1;$i <= $total_pages;$i++) {
    if ($i == $current_page) {
        $pagination .= " <span>$i</span>";
    } else {
        $pagination .= " <a href='catalog.php?";
        if (!empty($search)) {
            $pagination .= "s=".urlencode(htmlspecialchars($search)) . '&' ;
        } else if (!empty($section)) {
            $pagination .= "cat=".$section . '&';
        }
        $pagination .= "pg=$i'>$i</a>";
    }
}
$pagination .= "</div>";}
/* setting pagination variable */


/* displaying the pagination */
echo $pagination;

1 Answer

Simon Woodard
Simon Woodard
6,545 Points
Simon Woodard
Simon Woodard
6,545 Points

You've created the function correctly but remember it wont do anything by itself, you also need to execute (call) the function for it to run.

It would seem that in this particular challenge you actually need to 'return $pagination' instead of 'echo $pagination' inside the function. Then after closing the function you can execute it with the following command and set of arguments (or required variables).

echo pagination(Total Pages, Current Page, Section, Search);

Where you have replaced the arguments with the correct values that the course requires.

Alfredo Prince
Alfredo Prince
6,175 Points
Alfredo Prince
Alfredo Prince
6,175 Points

this is what i did and it says "Task 1 no longer passing"

include "pagination.php";

/* add function here */
function pagination($total_pages, $current_page,$section,$search){
  $pagination = "<div class=\"pagination\">";
$pagination .= "Pages: ";  
for ($i = 1;$i <= $total_pages;$i++) {
    if ($i == $current_page) {
        $pagination .= " <span>$i</span>";
    } else {
        $pagination .= " <a href='catalog.php?";
        if (!empty($search)) {
            $pagination .= "s=".urlencode(htmlspecialchars($search)) . '&' ;
        } else if (!empty($section)) {
            $pagination .= "cat=".$section . '&';
        }
        $pagination .= "pg=$i'>$i</a>";
    }
}
$pagination .= "</div>";
}
/* setting pagination variable */
$pagination = pagination();

/* displaying the pagination */
return pagination($total_pages, $current_page,$section,$search); ```
Alfredo Prince
Alfredo Prince
6,175 Points
Alfredo Prince
Alfredo Prince
6,175 Points

I tried what you said and it says "task 1 is no longer passing"

include "pagination.php";

/* add function here */
function pagination($total_pages, $current_page,$section,$search){
  $pagination = "<div class=\"pagination\">";
$pagination .= "Pages: ";  
for ($i = 1;$i <= $total_pages;$i++) {
    if ($i == $current_page) {
        $pagination .= " <span>$i</span>";
    } else {
        $pagination .= " <a href='catalog.php?";
        if (!empty($search)) {
            $pagination .= "s=".urlencode(htmlspecialchars($search)) . '&' ;
        } else if (!empty($section)) {
            $pagination .= "cat=".$section . '&';
        }
        $pagination .= "pg=$i'>$i</a>";
    }
}
$pagination .= "</div>";
}
/* setting pagination variable */
$pagination = pagination();

/* displaying the pagination */
return pagination($total_pages, $current_page,$section,$search);