Default variable values

[grinningboy]

I am recent convert to PHP after years of Cold Fusion use. many of the concepts are familiar to me, but there is just one thing that is holding me back.

I want to be able to specify a default value for a variable should it not exist.

In Cold Fusion this is the equivalent of:
<CFPARAM name="variable_name" DEFAULT="a_value">

My particular reason for this is that I like to use the Fusebox architecture for template inclusion with some switch/case code. I would liek to specify a default value in the case of someone just entering the site (when no variable will be specified).

Surely I am just missing something simple?

Thanks, Tim

[dannys]

if (empty($variableName))
$variableName=$value;