Variable reference, unexpected output

I've got this code and I expect to output 5 and 5 as the result but outputs 4 and 5. Please explain a bit, quite confused.

PHP Code:

---

<?php

    function &find_var($one, $two, $three) {

        if(($one > 0) && ($one <= 10)) return $one;
        if(($two > 0) && ($two <= 10)) return $two;
        if(($three > 0) && ($three <= 10)) return $three;

    }

    $c_one = 'foo';
    $c_two = 42;
    $c_three = 4;

    $right_var = &find_var($c_one, $c_two, $c_three);

    $right_var++;

    echo "The value of \$c_three and \$right_var are: ";
    echo "$c_three and $right_var<BR>\n";

?>

---

Thanks in advance.

well you didn't change value of $c_three in the code nor in the referencing functions... so it will return that... :( 4 and 5. :)

try this one.. I am thinking it will return 5 and 5.. still have to test this one though

PHP Code:

---

<?php 

    function &find_var($one, $two, $three) { 

        if(($one > 0) && ($one <= 10)) return $one; 
        if(($two > 0) && ($two <= 10)) return $two; 
        if(($three > 0) && ($three <= 10)) return $three++; 

    } 

    $c_one = 'foo'; 
    $c_two = 42; 
    $c_three = 4; 

    $right_var = &find_var($c_one, $c_two, $c_three); 

    $right_var++;

    echo "The value of \$c_three and \$right_var are: "; 
    echo "$c_three and $right_var<BR>\n"; 

?>

---

oops that didn't work... but this one..
works. :D

PHP Code:

---

<?php 

    function find_var($one, $two, &$three) { 

        if(($one > 0) && ($one <= 10)) return $one; 
        if(($two > 0) && ($two <= 10)) return $two; 
        if(($three > 0) && ($three <= 10)) return $three++; 

    } 

    $c_one = 'foo'; 
    $c_two = 42; 
    $c_three = 4; 

    $right_var = find_var($c_one, $c_two, $c_three); 

    $right_var++;

    echo "The value of \$c_three and \$right_var are: "; 
    echo "$c_three and $right_var<BR>\n"; 

?>

---

Isn't the c_three variable meets the variable to be return as the reference of one who gets the find_var function? I mean, find_var should refer to c_three, right? Or am I missing something?

Or maybe... c_three is left at the function and values remain at the function? It shouldn't be, right? I mean I passed it at the argument and get the reference. Shouldn't I get the reference of c_three by return c_three at the function that returns a reference of the returning variable?

perhaps... :(... as far as I know... even changing the value of $three which as you say is supposedly referecing c_three, the actual c_three is still not uhmm... changed. so perhaps... that construct is for another purpose... now the code... I used is make the formal parameter a referencing variable (that is referencing c_three)... so $three++
I returned the value of 4... which find_var is getting the value... and then increment the value of $three.. and thus $c_three...
and voila... 5 and 5...

your construct perhaps has another purpose... I'll read on that more. :D

aaaah.. now I have bumped into it in the dox... will get back with some of my understanding. ;)

I'm back with this one... :)
Now this works.

PHP Code:

---

<?php 

    function &find_var($one, $two, &$three) { 

        if(($one > 0) && ($one <= 10)) return $one; 
        if(($two > 0) && ($two <= 10)) return $two; 
        if(($three > 0) && ($three <= 10)) return $three; 

    } 

    $c_one = 'foo'; 
    $c_two = 42; 
    $c_three = 4; 

    $right_var =&find_var($c_one, $c_two, $c_three); 

    $right_var++;

    echo "The value of \$c_three and \$right_var are: "; 
    echo "$c_three and $right_var<BR>\n"; 

?>

---

the problem being that.. you did not pass $c_three as a refencing variable... thus... $three is NOT.. referingcing c_three.. but you are returning a reference to a local variable which has lost its scope. :( *sigh*

see the difference? just the & in the formal parameter declaration of $three. ;)

Ok, found out the missing link. Hehe. So pass variables by reference and get it as reference. So, somethin like &function(&$,&$,&$){ return $;} should solve this.

Thank you very much.

Glad to help ;)