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Using PHP's empty() Instead of isset() and count()
Oct 20 2008
I often work with data arrays in PHP as a way to pass information around or store information in sessions. When you work with these, you can't always assume that all properties are defined. I had some conditional logic code in PHP that was only supposed to execute if an array contained any values:
```
$data = array(
   'text' => array( 'hello', 'world' ),
   'numbers' => array( 43, 2, 55 )
);

if (count($data['text'])) {
   // do something with $data['text']
}
```
But then I was in a situation where $data['text'] may or may not be defined. So I was going to update my if statement like so:
```
if (isset($data['text']) && count($data['text'])) {
   // do something
}
```
But that looks kind of messy. I don't really like isset() but it is a necessary evil to avoid "Undefined" errors. Or is it?
```
if (!empty($data['text'])) {
   // do something
}
```
empty() to the rescue - it returns true if $data['text'] is undefined, or if it is an empty array, or if it is false or null or 0. So !empty() is what I'm really trying to determine, and it works great.

For more info, see: empty() at PHP.net.

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Comments

1. GM at 2:17am on October 22, 2008

Only you have to remeber to use isset for values like 0. I have had problems when trying to validate form select element with "0" value. :)
2. ALM at 2:00pm on October 23, 2008

really?
isset($_GET['var1']) returns false , if the querystring (or method=post equivalent) is say, http://mysite/index.php?var1=0 ?

Or what? Just curious...

empty() doesn't enter my thoughts very often, good reminder. You rekindle my dream to blog through all PHP functions from A to Z :)
3. Damian at 3:34pm on November 16, 2008

Great advice Jesse.
Like GM say, we have to be careful when we have an "0" value and we check for !empty. A "0" value will be return a true value for empty and generally if you have "0" it represents that you have a value.
4. lui at 8:21pm on February 3, 2009

I am currently testing my scripts with functions such as empty(), eregi(), str_length(). But at the end null values and values of not the same expected string length are easily inserted into my database. i.e

function ur()
{
if(empty($_POST['a']))
{
print "somthing";
return;
}
5. John Griffiths at 4:49am on February 4, 2009

thanks for your post, these things can get annoying fast. helped a lot.

keep up the good work ;-)
6. mar at 8:58pm on May 7, 2011

http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.empty.php#103756
solves the "0" problem.
7. bird at 10:07pm on December 1, 2011

thanks for sharing!!!
8. Anay at 12:24am on April 30, 2012

Cool idea
Thanks
9. Kumar at 12:19pm on November 28, 2012

I have had this problem where empty would not be a sufficient check. So if I am querying the DB and the resultset is empty the return value is false. empty() took 0 as a value and returned true ...
10. Jesse Skinner at 4:59pm on November 28, 2012

@Kumar - that's correct, empty(0) is true, so it's not good if you're checking for a null value. You may want to check against null, the empty string "" or false, depending on your database setup.

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