Weird PHP error: 'Can't use function return value in write context'

Question

I'm getting this error and I can't make head or tail of it.

The exact error message is:

Fatal error: Can't use function return value in write context in /home/curricle/public_html/descarga/index.php on line 48

Line 48 is:

if (isset($_POST('sms_code') == TRUE ) {

What could be going on here?

Here's the full function:

function validate_sms_code() {

    $state = NOTHING_SUBMITED;

    if (isset($_POST('sms_code') == TRUE ) {
        $sms_code = clean_up($_POST('sms_code'));
        $return_code = get_sepomo_code($sms_code);

        switch($return_code) {

          case 1:
            //no error
            $state = CORRECT_CODE;
            break;

          case 2:
            // code already used
            $state = CODE_ALREADY_USED;
            break;

          case 3:
            // wrong code
            $state = WRONG_CODE;
            break;

          case 4:
            // generic error
            $state = UNKNOWN_SEPOMO_CODE;
            break;

          default:
            // unknown error
            $state = UNKNOWN_SEPOMO_CODE;
            throw new Exception('Unknown sepomo code: ' . $return_code);
            break;
        }

    } else {
        $state = NOTHING_SUBMITED;
    }
    dispatch_on_state($state);
}

Answer 1

You mean

if (isset($_POST['sms_code']) == TRUE ) {

though incidentally you really mean

if (isset($_POST['sms_code'])) {

Answer 2

This also happens when using empty on a function return:

!empty(trim($someText)) and doSomething()

because empty is not a function but a language construct (not sure), and it only takes variables:

Right:

empty($someVar)

Wrong:

empty(someFunc())

Since PHP 5.5, it supports more than variables. But if you need it before 5.5, use trim($name) == false. From empty documentation.

Answer 3

if (isset($_POST('sms_code') == TRUE ) {

change this line to

if (isset($_POST['sms_code']) == TRUE ) {

You are using parentheseis () for $_POST but you wanted square brackets []

:)

OR

if (isset($_POST['sms_code']) && $_POST['sms_code']) { 
//this lets in this block only if $_POST['sms_code'] has some value 

Answer 4

for WORDPRESS:

instead of:

if (empty(get_option('smth')))

should be:

if (!get_option('smth'))

Answer 5

Correct syntax (you had a missing parentheses in the end):

if (isset($_POST['sms_code']) == TRUE ) {
                            ^

p.s. you dont need == TRUE part, because BOOLEAN (true/false) is returned already.

Answer 6

This can happen in more than one scenario, below is a list of well known scenarios :

// calling empty on a function 
empty(myFunction($myVariable)); // the return value of myFunction should be saved into a variable
// then you can use empty on your variable

// using parenthesis to access an element of an array, parenthesis are used to call a function

if (isset($_POST('sms_code') == TRUE ) { ...
// that should be if(isset($_POST['sms_code']) == TRUE)

This also could be triggered when we try to increment the result of a function like below:

$myCounter = '356';

$myCounter = intVal($myCounter)++; // we try to increment the result of the intVal...
// like the first case, the ++ needs to be called on a variable, a variable should hold the the return of the function then we can call ++ operator on it.

Answer 7

The problem is in the () you have to go []

if (isset($_POST('sms_code') == TRUE)

by

if (isset($_POST['sms_code'] == TRUE)

Answer 8

I also had a similar problem like yours. The problem is that you are using an old php version. I have upgraded to PHP 5.6 and the problem no longer exist.

Answer 9

Another scenario where this error is trigered due syntax error:

ucwords($variable) = $string;

Answer 10

i also ran into this problem due to syntax error. Using "(" instead of "[" in array index:

   foreach($arr_parameters as $arr_key=>$arr_value) {
        $arr_named_parameters(":$arr_key") = $arr_value;
    }

Answer 11

This error is quite right and highlights a contextual syntax issue. Can be reproduced by performing any kind "non-assignable" syntax. For instance:

function Syntax($hello) { .... then attempt to call the function as though a property and assign a value.... $this->Syntax('Hello') = 'World';

The above error will be thrown because syntactially the statement is wrong. The right assignment of 'World' cannot be written in the context you have used (i.e. syntactically incorrect for this context). 'Cannot use function return value' or it could read 'Cannot assign the right-hand value to the function because its read-only'

The specific error in the OPs code is as highlighted, using brackets instead of square brackets.

Answer 12

Can be cause by wrong operator, =, when it should be ==

if(mysql_num_rows($result) = 1)
    return $result;
else
    return false;

This code throws this error

Note that = is assignment operator and not comparison operator. Fix is to change = to ==.