can oci_connect be in a function?

[bdbeames]

I have a oracle/php question

I'm moving a site from postgres/mysql to oracle.

In the past I've written a funtion for my database connection and stored it in initialize.php then I included the file on pages where I need to use the function. The function follows:

function initialize() {
   $user= ***;
   $pass=***;
   $host=***;
$db = pg_connection($user $pass $host);
//$db = oci_connect($user, $pass, $host);
}
 

The thing is I am trying to use oracel and if $db = pg_connect is replace with $db = oci_connect inside of the function I get errors. If it is written in the same file, but not in a function it works.

My question is why doesn't oracle allow me to call the oci_connect within a function or am I just doing something wrong.