I have this code:
$myVariable = someRanDomFunction($blah)
The problem is that someRanDomFunction() might return an array, an object, an empty array, boolean value or NULL.
What if the best way to check that $myVariable has some data?
right now i'm doing this:
!empty($myVariable )
Will it cover all cases?
or maybe i should do ($myVariable != NULL && !empty($myVariable ))?
UPDATE*
By 'some data' i mean TRUE if its bool, not empty array, and any value other than NULL
var_dump(empty(NULL)); // returns bool(true)
empty is enough. If you say a boolean is no data, check also for !is_bool. (empty(false) returns also true)
Or better, use only if ($result); this should be enough.
Or what do you call "some data"?
UPDATE: What you need:
php > var_dump(!empty([]));
bool(false)
php > var_dump(!empty(""));
bool(false)
php > var_dump(!empty(false));
bool(false)
php > var_dump(!empty(true));
bool(true)
php > var_dump(!empty(null));
bool(false)
Simply doing an implicit boolean check will exclude false, array(), and null.
if ($myVariable) {
//will execute as long as myVariable isn't an empty array, false, null, or 0 / '0'
}
!empty() does exactly the same thing, with added suppression of warnings about undefined variables / array indices. It's a little wordier, though.
!empty('0') !== (bool)$myVariable
[...] or 0 / '0' in your inline comment. (you said empty would do the exact same thing)If you check for null, you need to use !== (strict checking http://php.net/manual/en/language.operators.comparison.php)
If your someRanDomFunction might return an array, object, bool or null this is bad way. Something wrong with logic.
However you might using an OR (||) operator, not AND.
($myVariable != NULL || !empty($myVariable) || $myVariable == false)
If you expect some specific data beforehand, it is better to check for it explicitly. PHP has a bunch of functions to do so they start with is_
Basically empty is checking for null, so your second way is redundant. You can also use isset
if the array, the object and boolean true is data AND The rest: an empty array, boolean false value or NULL, are not "data".
The solution then, would be this one:
$myVariable = someRanDomFunction($blah);
if(!empty($myVariable)) {
//...
}
is_arrayetc. manually, one after the other until you got it right?