php cannot check if a PDO result is empty using empty() returns FATAL ERROR

Question

I want to check whether my prepared query has returned empty or not without having to go into a loop. This is the code I have tried using:

if(empty($pQuery1->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC))){}

When I try this I get the error:

Fatal error: Can't use method return value in write context

Whether I use PDO->fetchALL or PDO->fetch I receive the same error. Should I be doing something differently?

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 12:06:46Z

35

You need to assign the results to a variable, then call empty() on the variable. It's just an annoying limitation of the empty() function. See this question.

$results = $pQuery1->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
if (empty($results)){}

edited May 23, 2017 at 12:06

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answered May 20, 2012 at 21:40

James Skidmore

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7 Comments

goat Over a year ago

id like to point out you might as well just do if (!$results) {} as it behaves identically.

Jake Over a year ago

@chris if(empty($foo)) won't generate a warning if the parameter isn't set. if(!$foo) will generate a warning if the parameter isn't set. php.net/manual/en/function.empty.php

goat Over a year ago

it was set on the previous line :)

Brook Julias Over a year ago

@chris - using $results in such a way only fails if the result returns false. It is possible to have an empty result without being false.

goat Over a year ago

@BrookJulias, the ! operator converts its operand to boolean, and empty array converts to boolean false. ! operator and empty() are 100% logically equivalent.

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