could anybody tell me where the following script missing. i am not able to execute it on the browser...i know this is simple but ..i am not able to get through it.

/*

<?php
function addFive($num)
{$num +=5 ;}
$orignum=190;
addFive($orignum);
echo $orignum;
?>


*/

Hi Sandeep,

If you mean, why does the function not work, it is because the $num parameter is being passed by value, which is the default for basic types such as ints, booleans etc. In other words, a copy of the variable data is passed to addFive, not the actual bit of memory the variable points to, so the original $orignum value is never changed.
You need to change the function to pass it by reference, so that $num references the actual variable data - you can think of $num being an alias name for $orignum. In PHP you do this by putting & in front of it as so:

This will set value of orignum to 195 as you want.

You can read more about reference variables on the PHP site.

HTH
Phil

thanx,when i tried in another way by puttinng "&" at addFive(&$orignum); then, It also work, IS "& "ALWAYS USED IN passaing an argument to the function by reference ?

Yes that works too, but note that doing it this way is not recommended and creates a warning in PHP5+. I personally prefer to keep all the workings of the function within itself anyway.

When passing values to functions, & does always mean pass by reference. However it is also used as an AND operator in bitwise calculations (and,or,xor etc). See http://uk2.php.net/manual/en/languag...rs.bitwise.php
It is normally fairly obvious what type of & is being used if you are looking at some code.

Phil