checking input existence

buraks78

when i started coding with php i checked the existence of get / post variables like this:

if(isset($GET["whatever"]))
or
if($GET["whatever"]!=Null)

now i use the following style

if($_GET["whatever"])

i am just wondering about the conventional style most of you guys use out there...

burak

LordShryku

Considering the last two choices throw notices with new versions of PHP, it's best to make sure the variable is set before checking value.

laserlight

Use isset(), of course.

There's another though, [man]empty/man

buraks78

the problem that i have with isset() is that

lets say this is how i call the script:
http://localhost/denn.php?c=&d=burak

and here is denn.php

<?php
if(isset($_GET["c"])){
	echo "isset is not working for me!";
}
?>

in this case isset() will return true and the script will echo the text although the value for "c" is null so i have to write another condition

if(isset($GET["c"]) && $GET["c"]!=Null)

empty() works for me but;
how about just writing if($_GET["c"]) to make things a little bit more compact? checks wheter the variable is set and wheter it is null.

does this have any implications that i dont know?

burak

LordShryku

It's bad grammer according to php. Set error_reporting(E_ALL) on PHP 4.3.4 and do that, and you will see a notice saying something along the lines of "Undefined Variable...".