note 31710 added to function.empty

From: Date: Thu, 01 May 2003 01:34:13 +0000
Subject: note 31710 added to function.empty
Groups: php.notes 
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I agree, that this function is not useful. There is a fundamental difference between an empty set and the value 0. I use the function def() for testing, wether a variable have a value or not: function def ($var) { if ("$var" != "") { return(1); } else { return(0); }; }; It is very important, to write '"$var" != ""', otherwise this function will have the same behavior than empty()! Of course, def() will not work with an array! When I know, that a variable is introduced as an array, I simply use the function count. Never I use a variable without initialisation. When I need a new array or some variable, I simply type $foo = ""; $foo_array = array(); Of course, there is a little risk in this and is_array() is a very useful function! You can also define def() more general: function def ($var) { if (is_array($var)) { return(count($var)); } elseif ("$var" != "") { return(1); } else { return(0); }; }; -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.empty.php http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=edit+31710 http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+31710 http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=reject+31710

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