Pass current array as reference [PHP/Drupal6]

Question

I have a variable $doctype that is an array:

$doctype = array(
    'news' => ('news'),
    'documents' => ('documents'),
    'forms' => ('forms'),
    'other' => ('other'),
);

which is used as options for another array:

$form['doc_type'] = array(
    '#title' => 'Document Type',
    '#type' => 'radios',
    '#options' => $doctype,
    '#size' => '30',
    '#required' => TRUE,
    '#default_value' => $doctype['news'],

now I'm trying to pass the current value for another function

I've tried:

form($form_state, &$doctype) {

but it shows up as a missing argument

I want to pass it through a reference, not as a return (already occupied/don't want to work around it)

Any help is appreciated

Answer 1

Assuming form() specifies its second argument as a reference, then you shouldn't pass &$doctype as a parameter. If the function specifies a parameter as a reference, then all you need to do is pass that variable and it will get passed as a reference.

E.g.

<?php
    function form($var1, &$var2) {
        $var2[2] = 5;
    }
    $var2 = array(1,2,3,4);
    form('test', $var2);
    echo $var2[2]; // Echoes '5';
?>

However, I'm again assuming that form() is built into drupal, in which case as far as I know there's no way of passing $doctype as a reference without changing the core code that defines form()

Out of curiosity, why do you need to pass it as a reference? Can you clarify "already occupied/don't want to work around it"