[Resolved] Ternary operator behaving strangely

[flicea]

I'm just learning PHP, I copied this code from a tutorial:

<?
$num =7;
echo ($num == 7)? "Exactly 7" 🙁$num > 7)? "More than 7" : "less than 7";
?>

Now, whenever $num equals exactly seven it doesn't work!
It echoes the message " More than 7"
For the rest of the options it works perfectly. Could it be a problem with my PHP configuration? I know it's a very basic question but I can't figure out why this happens!

Thank you all and greetings from MX.

[flicea]

Here's the code again the bracket and colon where together.
Sorry!

<?
$num =7;
echo ($num == 7)? "Exactly 7" : ($num > 7)? "More than 7" : "less than 7";
?>

[bradgrafelman]

It's never a bad practice to encase your ternary statement in parenthesis:

<? 
$num =7; 
echo (($num == 7) ? "Exactly 7" : (($num > 7) ? "More than 7" : "less than 7")); 
?>

[laserlight]

Actually, if you need to use an if-elseif-else construct, then dont use the ternary operator.

[bradgrafelman]

The above ternary statement I posted works just fine, but for coding clarity and to keep your sanity, it would probably be easier to use an if-elseif-else like laserlight suggested.

It should also be noted that using an if-elseif-else statement is quicker than a ternary operator.

[flicea]

Thanx bradgrafelman, I know it was perhaps something very dumb but I appreciate your patience for explaining why.