[SOLVED] Returning Values (is There a Better Way?)

<?php
/*
#
#   RelatedInfo Snippet
#   by Jay Gilmore (SmashingRed Web & Marketing)
#   
#
*/
// Script Functions

function getLinks(){
    // Assign Variable to TV "relatedLinks"
    $links = 'relatedLinks';
     
    //Assign global scope to $modx
    global $modx;

    // Get Value of the RelatedLinks Template Variable
    $relatedLink = $modx->getTemplateVarOutput(array($links));
    $outLink = $relatedLink[$links];
    if (empty($outLink)){
        return '';
    }
    return $outLink;
}
function getFiles(){
    // Assign Array to TVs from file1Text to file7Text as Keys 
    // and file1 to file7 as Values 

    $file["file1Text"]="file1";
    $file["file2Text"]="file2";
    $file["file3Text"]="file3";
    $file["file4Text"]="file4";
    $file["file5Text"]="file5";
    $file["file6Text"]="file6";
    $file["file7Text"]="file7";
    
    // Assign global scope to $modx
    global $modx;
    
    // Loop Through the file array and output all the information
    foreach ($file as $key => $value){
        
        $fileName = $modx->getTemplateVarOutput(array($key));
        $fileLoc = $modx->getTemplateVarOutput(array($value));
        $outFileName = $fileName[$key];
        $outFileLoc = $fileLoc[$value];
        if (empty($outFileName) || empty($outFileLoc)) {
            return '';
        }
        $outPutFile = "<li><a href=\"".$outFileLoc."\" title=\"Click to download ".$outFileName."\">".$outFileName."</a></li>\n";
        $output = $outPutFile;
    }
    // Return $outPutFile
    return $output;
    
}
// Assign Variables to Functions
$getLinksOutput = getLinks();
$getFilesOutput = getFiles();
// Do the Magic
if (empty($getLinksOutput) && empty($getFilesOutput)){
    return false;
}
else {
    echo "<div class=\"sidepanel\">\n";
    echo "<h5>Related Info</h5>\n";
    if (!empty($getLinksOutput)){
        print $getLinksOutput;
    }
    if (!empty($getFilesOutput)){
        print "<ul>\n".$getFilesOutput."</ul>\n";
    }
    echo "</div>\n";
}
?>

foreach ($relatedLink as $key => $value) {
    $output .='<a href="'.$key.'>'; 
    $output .=$value.'</a><br />'."\n";
}