How could I merge these three functions?

It's just a bunch of if statements.

Run them through your head with: ($user = "username") || ($user = null)

I cannot create variables that can be used outside of the function from the function? Like:

function username($user) {
if($user = null)
$deleted = "deleted";
}

Then when the function is called username($username); I can echo $deleted? Is something like this at all possible? My tests show the above wouldn't work.

Originally Posted by Dan It's just a bunch of if statements. Run them through your head with: ($user = "username") || ($user = null) I cannot create variables that can be used outside of the function from the function? Like: function username($user) { if($user = null) $deleted = "deleted"; } Then when the function is called username($username); I can echo $deleted? Is something like this at all possible? My tests show the above wouldn't work.

http://php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php

You could declare $deleted outside the function and then get access to it inside a function with the global keyword.

Not that I'm saying that's a good idea or anything.