How to use SWITCH statement in PHP when checking if variables not empty?

Question

I have written IF statement for checking if variables are not empty:

  if ( !empty( $firstname )) {
    $data = array_merge( $data, array( 'first_name' => $firstname )); 
  }
  if ( !empty( $lastname )) {
    $data = array_merge( $data, array( 'last_name' => $lastname )); 
  }
  if ( !empty( $email )) {
    $data = array_merge( $data, array( 'email' => $email )); 
  }
  // and there are even more statements then these 3 ...

I think this is so DRY and tried to use SWITCH instead of IF:

switch( true ){
  case ( !empty( $firstname )):
    $data = array_merge( $data, array( 'first_name' => $firstname ));
  case ( !empty( $lastname )):
    $data = array_merge( $data, array( 'last_name' => $lastname ));
  case ( !empty( $email )):
    $data = array_merge( $data, array( 'email' => $email ));

Finally I get an array of all these 3 elements merged even if one of these variables is empty. What do i do wrong?

P.S. I can't do IF(!empty(a) && !empty(b) && !empty(c)) because of need to check each condition separately.

Far as I know, all cases require breaks, per the manual php.net/manual/en/control-structures.switch.php — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented Oct 24, 2020 at 14:04
also, moving all those checks into a switch statement is no DRYer than the ifs, you're still writing them all out. DRY is for Don't Repeat Yourself, this means don't do the same if statement twice, not don't have lots of if statements — imposterSyndrome
– imposterSyndrome, Commented Oct 24, 2020 at 14:12
You could try a simple compact x array_filter solution, like the one I've given below! — Manav
– Manav, Commented Oct 24, 2020 at 14:13

Manav · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-24 14:12:42Z

3

An easy solution would be

$data = array_merge($data, array_filter(compact("firstname", "lastname", "email")));

Compact is a handy function that converts a listing of variable names into an array of its values. Array filter would remove all the empty elements, and lastly you can merge it with $data

answered Oct 24, 2020 at 14:12

Manav

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1 Comment

Domaru Over a year ago

Thank you! Very clever solution :)

imposterSyndrome · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-24 14:38:26Z

Just out of interest I tested your code as I was curious about the comment you make at the end to say that even if a variable is empty then it is still included in the switch. I tested it out

    $firstname = '';//also tested with $firstname = null;
    $lastname = 'joe';
    $email = '[email protected]';
    $data = [];
    switch( true ){
      case ( !empty( $firstname )):
        $data = array_merge( $data, array( 'first_name' => $firstname ));
      case ( !empty( $lastname )):
        $data = array_merge( $data, array( 'last_name' => $lastname ));
      case ( !empty( $email )):
        $data = array_merge( $data, array( 'email' => $email ));
    }
    print_r($data);

The output is:

Array ( [last_name] => joe [email] => [email protected] )

Which is what I would have expected - I'm only adding this as I think you might have variables you think are empty but aren't. So before implementing the solution already posted, make sure you also check your variables are in the state you think they are

Progrock · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-24 15:13:29Z

0

You could just loop and test with not empty by using variable variables.

<?php
$firstname = 'Paul';
$email     = '[email protected]';

$data = ['age' => '34'];
foreach(['firstname', 'lastname', 'email'] as $name) {
    if(!empty($$name)) {
        $data[$name] = $$name;
    }
}

var_export($data);

Output:

array (
'age' => '34',
'firstname' => 'Paul',
'email' => '[email protected]',
)

edited Oct 24, 2020 at 15:13

answered Oct 24, 2020 at 15:04

Progrock

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Comments

Al-Amin · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-24 16:33:15Z

0

Using compact function with array_filter was a good enough approach. I'm just sharing an alternative of using ternary operator for your problem's solution.

$data = !empty($firstname) ? array_merge( $data , [ 'firstname' => $firstname] ) : $data;
$data = !empty($lastname)  ? array_merge( $data , [ 'lastname' => $lastname]  ) : $data;
$data = !empty($email)  ? array_merge( $data , [ 'email' => $email] ) : $data;

answered Oct 24, 2020 at 16:33

Al-Amin

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