trim() or empty()

[themanwhowas]

i have this to test if a field has been filled in.

if (isset ($_REQUEST['name']))
	{$name=trim($_REQUEST['name']);}
else
	{$name="NULL";}



if ($name==NULL)
	{echo "enter your name ";}
else
	{echo "hello $name ";}

acording to my book,

if (!empty($_REQUEST['name']))
	{$name=$_REQUEST['name'];}

is the way to do the same thing. apart from the extra 4 letters in the first example, is there any difference in the usage of these 2 bits of code? the book doesnt mention anything about it. im sure that there are many ways to do things in php but is it just down to personal preference?

[themanwhowas]

or even better

	$name=trim($_REQUEST['name']);

if ($name==NULL)
	{echo "hello noname ";}
else
	{echo "hello $name ";}

[themanwhowas]

let me restart. ahem.
this is my code

$name=trim($_REQUEST['name']);

if ($name==NULL)
	{echo "hello noname ";}
else
	{echo "hello $name ";}

my book is under the impression that this:

if (!empty($_REQUEST['name']))
	{$name=$_REQUEST['name'];}

else
	{$name="NULL";}

if ($name==NULL)
	{echo "hello noname ";}
else
	{echo "hello $name ";}

is the way to do the same thing. to me, the first code is shorter and more efficient. is my book now playing mind games with me?

[suntra]

Double post...
http://www.phpbuilder.com/board/showthread.php?t=10333583