Which way is better?

jasondavis

if(FilterHTML($company_name)) {
    $company_name = FilterALLHTML($company_name);
}

//or

$company_name = FilterALLHTML($company_name);

halojoy

jasondavis wrote:

if(FilterHTML($company_name)) {
    $company_name = FilterALLHTML($company_name);
}

//or

$company_name = FilterALLHTML($company_name);

What is better here depends on what you want to do.
How that value, $company_name works in your script.

I prefer the second option, as with what I can guess in this case.
Because the first option does 2 calls to same function.

jasondavis

Lets say 90% of the time $company_name is NULL is it better performance to use the if or just call it the second way

Like the if statement is it checking to see if the function exist or the $company_name exist or what?

Piranha

halojoy wrote:
the first option does 2 calls to same function.

No. It does one call to FilterHTML and another to FilterALLHTML.

We have no idea what your functions does since FilterHTML and FilterALLHTML is not a PHP Function. Or to be correct, it is of course a PHP function, but not a built-in function.

Since we don't know what the functions does or what you try to do it is impossible to answer your question.

jasondavis

sorry you just pointed out a typo, so lets say FilterHTML is both functions or vice versa, so it is calling the same function 2 times, also all it does it preg_replace any html code and return the string

jasondavis

//so instead of 

if(FilterHTML($company_name)) {
    $company_name = FilterALLHTML($company_name);
} 

//would this be more appropriate

if($company_name != NULL) {
    $company_name = FilterALLHTML($company_name);
} 

//or should I just bypass all that and use

$company_name = FilterALLHTML($company_name);

Piranha

jasondavis wrote:
sorry you just pointed out a typo, so lets say FilterHTML is both functions or vice versa, so it is calling the same function 2 times, also all it does it preg_replace any html code and return the string

That is why it is a good idea to copy and paste code rather than writing it again. Then you won't get those typos.

Anyway I would recommend the one below:

if($company_name != NULL) {
    $company_name = FilterALLHTML($company_name);
}

It is basically the way to do it. I doubt that you even can replace anything in the value NULL.

Of course, there is another way that might be even better. In the function first check if it is null, and if it is then return null. If it is anything else run whatever you want to run. Then you are sure the check is run every time, and you don't have to worry about it outside the function. The only thing you need to know then is if the variable is set or not.