Function info to a template?

[WarriorDL]

I probably have this written incorrectly, but... how do I get this info, namely the $category name at the end, to be accessible via a template variable?

Like how $forumbits is pulled from a function into the forum templates.
function get_categories($cat_id = 0)
{
global $vbulletin, $stylevar, $vbphrase, $show, $atlas_config, $site_template;
global $cat_cache, $cat_parent_cache, $new_image_cache, $subcat_ids;

$cattable_width = ceil((intval($atlas_config['cat_table_width'])) / $atlas_config['cat_cells']);
if ((substr($atlas_config['cat_table_width'],-1)) == "%")
{
$cattable_width .= "%";
}

if (!isset($cat_parent_cache[$cat_id]))
{
return "";
}

$visible_cat_cache = array();
if (empty($visible_cat_cache))
{
return "";
}

$total = sizeof($visible_cat_cache);
$table_columns = (intval($atlas_config['cat_cells'])) ? intval($atlas_config['cat_cells']) : 2;
if ($total <= $table_columns)
{
$table_rows = 1;
}
else
{
$table_rows = $total / $table_columns;
if ($total >= $table_columns AND !is_integer($table_rows))
{
$table_rows = intval($table_rows) + 1;
}
}

$categories = '<table width="'.$atlas_config['cat_table_width'].'" border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0'><br /><tr><br /><td valign='top' width="'.$cattable_width.'" class='catbgcolor'><br />';
$categories .= '<table border='0' cellpadding="'.$atlas_config['cat_table_cellpadding'].'" cellspacing="'.$atlas_config['cat_table_cellspacing'].'"><br />';
$count = 0;
$count2 = 0;
foreach ($visible_cat_cache AS $key => $category_id)
{
$categories .= '<tr><br /><td valign='top'><br />';

$is_new = (isset($new_image_cache[$category_id]) AND $new_image_cache[$category_id] > 0) ? 1 : 0;
$num_images = (isset($cat_cache[$category_id]['num_images'])) ? $cat_cache[$category_id]['num_images'] : 0;

$subcat_ids = array();
get_subcat_ids($category_id, $category_id, $cat_parent_cache);

if (isset($subcat_ids[$category_id]))
{
foreach ($subcat_ids[$category_id] AS $val)
{
if (isset($new_image_cache[$val]) AND $new_image_cache[$val] > 0)
{
$is_new = 1;
}
if (isset($cat_cache[$val]['num_images']))
{
$num_images += $cat_cache[$val]['num_images'];
}
}
}

if (defined("SHOW_RANDOM_IMAGE") AND SHOW_RANDOM_IMAGE == 0 OR defined("SHOW_RANDOM_CAT_IMAGE") AND SHOW_RANDOM_CAT_IMAGE == 0)
{
$random_cat_image_file = "";
}
else
{
$random_cat_image_file = get_random_image($category_id, 0, 1);
}

$this->registry = array (
'cat_id' => $category_id,
'cat_name' => format_text($cat_cache[$category_id]['cat_name'], 2),
'cat_description' => format_text($cat_cache[$category_id]['cat_description'], 1),
'cat_hits' => $cat_cache[$category_id]['cat_hits'],
'cat_is_new' => $is_new,
'lang_new' => $vbphrase['new'],
'sub_cats' => get_subcategories($category_id),
'cat_url' => $vbulletin->session->url(ATLAS_ROOT_PATH."categories.php?".URL_CAT_ID."=".$category_id),
'random_cat_image_file' => $random_cat_image_file,
'num_images' => $num_images);
eval('$categories .= "' . fetch_template('atlas_category_bits') . '";');
$count++;
$count2++;
$categories .= '</td><br /></tr><br />';

if ($count == $table_rows AND $count2 < sizeof($visible_cat_cache))
{
$categories .= '</table><br /></td><br />';
$categories .= '<td valign='top' width="'.$cattable_width.'" class='catbgcolor'><br />';
$categories .= '<table border='0' cellpadding="'.$atlas_config['cat_table_cellpadding'].'" cellspacing="'.$atlas_config['cat_table_cellspacing'].'"><br />';

$total = $total - $count2;
$table_columns = $table_columns - 1;
/*if ($total <= $table_columns AND $table_columns > 1)
{
$table_rows = 1;
}
else
{
$table_rows = $total / $table_columns;
if ($total >= $table_columns AND !is_integer($table_rows)) {
$table_rows = intval($table_rows) + 1;
}
}*/
$count = 0;
}
}

$categories .= '</table><br /></td><br /></tr><br /></table><br />';
return $categories;
}

[Opserty]

Probably won't aid your actual problem but I recommend you take a read of vBulletin Code Standards (http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/codestandards) (specifically the bits related to code layout), it will make it easier for others to read/understand your code and also make it easier for you to spot your own problems.

[WarriorDL]

Edited the indent spacing (I think that's what you meant).

[Opserty]

Where is this code being executed/the function being called. You've just written a function at the moment, it won't do anything until you execute it. You could put it in a Plugin then do something like:

$cats = get_categories();

Then use $cats in your template.

[WarriorDL]

Ok. I have it written in an external functions page that I named "atlas_functions.php" and call it through my external index page.

On my external index page, I do have this:

$categories = get_categories(0);
if (!$categories)
{
$categories = $vbphrase['atlas_no_categories'];
}
unset($categories);

And in the index template I created for my external page, I use $categories in the template.

--------------- Added 1208793301 at 1208793301 ---------------

What's weird is that the counters thing I posted about in another thread DOES work when called from the same functions page.

[Opserty]

Why have you got this line:
unset($categories); ?

[WarriorDL]

It was in the original php. Removing it has made no difference.

[Opserty]

Look up what unset() does on php.net. :p

Hmm its might be a problem with the function itself, have you checked to see if it is even returning anything? (Run a var_dump() on it to see if it contains anything).

[WarriorDL]

...ok. Please humor me :D

Where do I put that var_dump()??

--------------- Added 1208796733 at 1208796733 ---------------

Ok. I did this (hope it was right)

$categories = get_categories(0);
var_dump($categories = get_categories);
if (!$categories)
{
$categories = $vbphrase['atlas_no_categories'];
}

Now when I reload the page, this is at the top of it:

string(14) "get_categories"

And in the area where the categories are to show up it says:

get_categories

...and without the "get_categories" in there, I get this at the top:

string(0) ""

And in the page area, nothing.

--------------- Added 1208802729 at 1208802729 ---------------

Ok. I'm gonna start this again from scratch. Gonna have to re-write all.

Thanks for the help though! :)

[Opserty]

I recommend you also refresh yourself on the basics of PHP also you can access documentation and examples of most functions by a quick browse on the PHP site by using: http://www.php.net/function_name where function_name is the the function your looking up. So for example var_dumo() would be http://php.net/var_dump e.t.c.

[Dismounted]

You may also want to install the PHP.net Firefox search plugin.

[WarriorDL]

Snagged it. Thanks.