count on non array returns 1 why?

OhLordy

Why does count return 1 when used on a non array. surely it should return false. Is there any way of changing this?

Cheers
Rob

laserlight

Not really, a scalar consists of only 1 element.

OhLordy

But it's not an array.

$variables=array('one element') ;

is not the same as

$variables="one element";

Cheers
Rob

laserlight

ah, but who says count() may only accept an array?

The PHP manual notes:

Returns the number of elements in var, which is typically an array (since anything else will have one element).

I suppose an alternative method might be to use:

if (is_array($varname) && count($varname) > 0) {
	//do something
}

OhLordy

Yea, that's what I've been using but then it does two checks for every check of the array for I moved the if outside the for but it just doesn't feel right.
I think I'm going to have to tidy upd my code so it doesn't ever send a scalar there. I was just being lazy really. 😉

Cheers
Rob

dalecosp

It's remaining true to its intended use! Consider:

<?php

$var=count($othervar);
echo $var;

?>

😃 😃