PHP check if array values are set

Question

I've got the following function:

public function insertMember($username, $password, $fname, $lname)
    {
        $param              = array();
        $param['username']  = $username;
        $param['password']  = $password;
        $param['fname']     = $fname;
        $param['lname']     = $lname;
        return (count(array_filter($param, 'strlen')) == 0) ? FALSE : $this->insertIntoDB($param);
    }

Is using (count(array_filter($param, 'strlen')) == 0) the right/best way to go about checking if all the variables $username, $password, $fname, $lname have been passed to the function?

Thanks,
Pav

Your param list doesn't have any default values, so in order to call this function you must supply 4 parameters no matter what. Data validation on the other hand is still important. — Chris Rasys
– Chris Rasys, Commented May 27, 2011 at 0:12
@Chris Well, all it'll do is issue a warning, you're still not forced to pass all 4 parameters. — deceze
– deceze ♦, Commented May 27, 2011 at 0:26

Fad · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-22 14:08:15Z

2

if(count(array_filter($array)) == 0)
//   all values are empty

edited Sep 22, 2012 at 14:08

Fad

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answered Sep 22, 2012 at 11:17

ahmad jaberi

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You should expand your answer to explain how this satisfies the question, and provide a more relevant example of how it could be used in the context of the question.

random_user_name
– random_user_name

09/22/2012 23:47:31
Commented Sep 22, 2012 at 23:47
here is an example for this answer :

ahmad jaberi
– ahmad jaberi

09/23/2012 10:31:56
Commented Sep 23, 2012 at 10:31

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deceze · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-27 01:37:43Z

You can't really check whether the variables have been passed to the function or not, you can only check their value. If the value is falsey, you may reject it. That doesn't necessarily mean that the variable wasn't passed, just that the value was falsey.

if (!$username || !$password || !$fname || !$lname)

To restrict it a bit more and accept, for example, empty strings and 0 as valid values, do something like:

public function insertMember($username = null, $password = null, $fname = null, $lname = null) {
    if ($username === null || $password === null || $fname === null || $lname === null)

The best way may be to accept an array, which you can explicitly test for the existence of keys, regardless of their values:

public function insertMember($values) {
    if (array_diff_key(array_flip(array('username', 'password', 'fname', 'lname')), $values)) {
        // not all keys were set!
    }

Regardless, this:

$param             = array();
$param['username'] = $username;
$param['password'] = $password;
$param['fname']    = $fname;
$param['lname']    = $lname;

can be shortened to:

$params = compact('username', 'password', 'fname', 'lname');

user680786user680786 · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-27 00:08:08Z

1

Maybe right but not best.
If you need to check all variables:

if (empty($username) || empty($password) || empty($fname) || empty($lname)) return false;

answered May 27, 2011 at 0:08

user680786

I've got number of functions that are similar and need to check if the values have been passed/set. So i don't really want to check each variable by it self, would much rather assign them to an array and do a check like in my post. Was just wondering if it the best way to go about it? Or there is an alternative way(without checking each variable)?

Pav
– Pav

05/27/2011 00:14:05
Commented May 27, 2011 at 0:14
1

It's more looks like worst way. Do you want or not - it's not a question. If you have to check - you will check. Each variable.

user680786
– user680786

05/27/2011 00:21:01
Commented May 27, 2011 at 0:21
1

This is exactly what array_filter does, but you have chosen the dirty way to do that.

Tadeck
– Tadeck

05/27/2011 00:34:18
Commented May 27, 2011 at 0:34

Add a comment |

Jon · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-27 00:09:48Z

1

You can omit the 'strlen' parameter, the default behavior of array_filter will work fine in this case. This way the code is just a tad shorter.

However, as a matter of style you may want to consider the explicit

if (empty($username) || empty($password) || ...)

because it more readily communicates to the reader what the requirements of the function are as regards its arguments.

answered May 27, 2011 at 0:09

Jon

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RRStoyanov · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-27 00:10:15Z

1

Why not put your check even early? Make it something like that:

public function insertMember($username, $password, $fname, $lname) {
    if (!$username || !$password || !$fname || !lname) {
        return false;
    } else {
        $param = array();
        $param['username'] = $username;
        $param['password'] = $password;
        $param['fname'] = $fname;
        $param['lname'] = $lname;
        return $this->insertIntoDB($param);
    }
}

answered May 27, 2011 at 0:10

RRStoyanov

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onteria_ · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-27 00:10:17Z

1

This won't check the validity of the data but:

// Do something if 4 (all) arguments were passed in
if(func_num_args() == 4) {
}

answered May 27, 2011 at 0:10

onteria_

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Adam Bergmark · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-27 00:10:44Z

1

I prefer not using array_filter since it feels kind of dirty to pass a function in by its name. Although if you're using stdlib functions it may be okay.

I would use a loop

foreach ($param as $v) {
    if (empty($v)) return false;
}

answered May 27, 2011 at 0:10

Adam Bergmark

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