How To Set Default Value To A String In Php If Another String Is Empty?

Best example would be to show you how is this solved in Javascript: var someString = someEmptyString || 'new text value'; In this javascript example, we have detected that 'someEm

Solution 1:

You can use the ternary operator ?:.

If you have PHP 5.3, this is very elegant:

$someString = $someEmptyString?:'new text value';

Before 5.3, it needs to be a bit more verbose:

$someString = $someEmptyString ? $someEmptyString : 'new text value';

Solution 2:

$someString = (!isSet( $someEmptyString ) || empty( $someEmptyString ) )? "new text value" : $someEmptyString;

I think that would be the most correct way to do this. Check if that var is empty or if it's not set and run condition.

it's still a bit of code, but you shouldn't get any PHP warnings or errors when executed.

Solution 3:

You can use the ternary operator

$someString = $someEmptyString?:"New Text Value";

Solution 4:

While ternary is more clear whats happening, You can also set the variable like this

($someString = $someEmptyString) || ($someString = "Default");

Works in all PHP versions, You can extend this to use more than 1 option failry easily also

($someString = $someEmptyString) ||
($someString = $someOtherEmptyString) ||
($someString = "Default");

which I personally find more readable than its ternary equivalent