Get a variable from request or url

getParam.php

/**
 * Get the given variable from $_REQUEST or from the url
 * @param string $variableName
 * @param mixed $default
 * @return mixed|null
 */
function getParam($variableName, $default = null) {

    // Was the variable actually part of the request
    if(array_key_exists($variableName, $_REQUEST))
        return $_REQUEST[$variableName];

    // Was the variable part of the url
    $urlParts = explode('/', preg_replace('/\?.+/', '', $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']));
    $position = array_search($variableName, $urlParts);
    if($position !== false && array_key_exists($position+1, $urlParts))
        return $urlParts[$position+1];

    return $default;
}