function getTextGeneric($foobar, $whichvar) {
echo gettype($foobar); //returns the string "array"
if (array_key_exists($whichvar, $foobar)) { //I get Warning: array_key_exists() [function.array-key-exists]: The second argument should be either an array or an object
 [.....code here.....]
} else {
 [....error code here......]
}