MODx - All-purpose-snippet

gistfile1.php

<?php
    /* runFn Snippet
    * by info@pepebe.de
    *
    * Pass the snippet a php function name and pipe delimited list of parameters.
    *
    * Example: Format a large number with number_format()
    * See: www.php.net/manual/en/function.number-format.php
    *
    * [[!runFn? &fn=`number_format` &args=`123456789||2||,||.`]]
    * Result: 123.456.789,00
    *
    * Parameters:
    * &fn = name of php function
    * &args = Double-pipe delimited list of function parameters.
    * &ph = if set will create a placeholder instead of returning the output.
    *
    * 2do: 
    * Handle functions with array parameters...
    * Add some error handling
    * Think about a whitelist of usable functions
    * */

    $msg = "";
    
    $args = (!empty($args)) ? explode("||",$args) : array();

    if ( function_exists($fn) )
    {
        $output = call_user_func_array($fn, $args );
        
        if($output !== false){
            if(!empty($ph))
            {
                if($debug == 1)
                {
                    $msg .= "Result: ".$output;
                    $modx->setPlaceholder($ph, $msg);
                    return;
                }
                else {
                    $modx->setPlaceholder($ph, $output);
                    return;
                }
            }
            else
            {
                if($debug == 1)
                {
                    $msg .= "Result: ".$output;
                    return $msg;
                }
                else {
                    return $output;
                }
            }            
        }
        
        else {
            $msg .= "call_user_func_array returned false. You called fn: $fn with args: ".implode("||",$args).".";
            if($debug == 1)
            {
                return $msg;
            }
            else
            {
                return false;     
            }
            
        }

    }
    else
    {
        $msg .= "function $nf does not exist";
        if($debug == 1){
            return $msg;
        }
        else {
            return false;    
        }
        
    }

Call many php functions without bothering to write a special snippet.

Example:

[[!runFn? 
   &fn=`str_replace` 
 &args=`A||B||Abakus`
   &ph=`test`
]]

[[+test]]

/* Result: Bbakus*/

or

[[!runFn? 
   &fn=`date` 
 &args=`'l jS \of F Y h:i:s A'` 
]]
/* Result: 'Thursday 25th of October 2012 03:39:38 PM' */

or

[[!runFn? 
   &fn=`time` 
 &args=``
 &ph=`time`
]]

[[+time:date=`%Y`]]

/* Result: 2012 - Output filters work on this too! */

http://forums.modx.com/thread/80126/all-purpose-snippet-is-this-a-good-idea-or-a-really-bad-one#dis-post-441472