Check for empty field and display something if empty

phpheadaches

Hi, I have the following code:

<?php 
// Connects to your Database 
require_once('inc/dbstuff.php');
$data = mysql_query($query) 
or die(mysql_error()); 
Echo "<table width=400 class=thrColLiqHdr>"; 
while($row = mysql_fetch_array( $data )) 
{ 
Echo "<tr>";
Echo "<th>".$row['year'] . ' ' . $row['make'] . ' ' . $row['model'] . "</th>";
Echo "<th></th>";  

Echo "<th></th>";  

Echo "<th></th>"; 
Echo "<th>$".$row['price'] . "</th></tr>\n"; 

Echo"<td><img src=$image_dir{$row['pix']}></td>";
Echo"<td><strong>Location:</strong> ".$row['location'] . "</td> ";
Echo"<td><strong>Condition:</strong> ".$row['new_pre'] . "</td> ";
Echo"<td><strong>Engine:</strong> ".$row['engine_make'] . "</td> "; 
Echo"<td>".'<form id="search-form" action="" method="get">' 
          .'<input name="boat_details" type="submit" value="Details" />' 
          ."</form></td></tr>\n"; 
} 
Echo "</table>"; 
?>

Where I echo the 'price' field I would like to display 'call for price' if the 'price' field is empty. I think I need to use an if statement for this, something like:

if 'empty(price) {
echo '<p>Call for Price</p>';
}

But not sure. And where in my script would i actually put this?

bradgrafelman

Three things wrong with your example code snippet:

You have an extraneous single quote before the [man]empty/man function.
The condition for an [man]if/man statement must be surrounded by a set of parenthesis (much like a function call).
The variable is $row['price'], not price.

Also note, however, that [man]empty/man will return true for a value of 0 (not just an "empty" value, such as NULL or an empty string). If that fits your application, then there's no need to change it. If 0 is a valid option for the price, however, you'll want to do something else.

EDIT: Didn't see your last question..

phpheadaches wrote:
And where in my script would i actually put this?

In the same place where you echo out the price. You can add an 'else' statement to the if() so that the price from the DB is outputted if it isn't empty.

halojoy

You could do like this
to test what should be echoed

( empty($row['price'])? 'Call for Price' : $row['price'] )

empty($row['price'])? .... means one question= Is price empty?

'Call for Price' : $row['price'] ..... means 2 options depending on the answer to question
Yes, then use: 'Call for Price'
No, then use: $row['price']
So all of the line can result in two different values.

Echo "<tr>";
Echo "<th>".$row['year'] . ' ' . $row['make'] . ' ' . $row['model'] . "</th>";
Echo "<th></th>";  

Echo "<th></th>";  

Echo "<th></th>";
Echo "<th>". (empty($row['price'])? 'Call for Price' : $row['price']) . "</th></tr>\n";

As told it works when there is no price, null or empty string
with one exception: When Price is '0'
Then the price is not printed, but 'Call for Price'
But normally, it is very unusual with prices of zero,
because then we are not talking business, we are talking gifts.

phpheadaches

Hi Halojoy:

Your explanation was very informative and easy to understand. Thanks for listing each piece step by step. For the price field in the database, there will be no values equal to zero. So this means that if the cell has no value at all the formula will return true and display 'Call for Price,' correct?

phpheadaches

Ok. Just tried the code. If I leave the price blank with no value at all, it's not displaying Call for Price. Instead it is displaying price 0.00. call for pice is not a field in the database. It's text that I want to display if the field price empty. Do i need to add a field call for price to the database?

halojoy

Well, it is impossible to say without seing what variables you use and how you assign them.
You said no price was 0
Still you get a display of price 0.00
Does not indicate price never is 0

bradgrafelman

Add the following code after the echo statement for the price so we can see what kind of data you're working with:

var_dump($row['price']);

phpheadaches

Ok. I figured out why it wasn't working. My intention when originally asking the question was to display the text: "Call for Price" if my field 'price' was empty, not to display another field. However, the script provided essentially says if field 'price' EMPTY display field 'callforprice.' I didn't have this field but have since added it with a default value of Call for Price. Now it works, but i have one final issue. Note that my previous PHP included a $ before displaying the results from the price field.

Echo "<th>[B]$[/B]".$row['price'] . "</th></tr>\n";

Because the price field is decimal type, I cannot include the $ in the database. For example, if my price is $40,000, I'm only entering 40,000 into the database. When there is a price in the database, how do i get the price to display with the $ before it now that we've modified the code?

bradgrafelman

Not sure what code you're using, but if it's this suggestion from halojoy:

(empty($row['price'])? 'Call for Price' : $row['price'])

then the answer is simple: move the $ to inside of that ternary operator statement in front of the price via a simple string concatenation.

What's concatenation? It's just gluing two pieces of data together:

'$' . $row['price']