Quick question for you guys.

Can anyone tell me what a variable returns if it isn't set?

$foo = $_POST['bar'];

What will $foo contain if say, the page was accessed directly and the form never filled? I want to know if it's just empty, or if null is it'S value.

Thanks .

its will contain nuthing

Nothing, as in empty, or as in null?

they are the same thing null = ""

Oh. That I didn't know.

In other languages (VB, C#, C++, etc.) empty ("") and null (or nothing) are entirely different.

Thanks for the clear up .

well in php it is pretty much user firendly... I have used both for my work... I guess you would say null is for when the variable type isn't even defined and empty is when the file type is defined but with no information. But they work the same for me :P

In php the type is automatically cast so a variable passed with no value would be a string by default. Not null.

Alrighty. I'll keep that in mind.

Ah, the joys of programming many languages ...

the best thing to do is use isset($_POST['bar'])

I like to set error reporting to E_ALL so you cannot use variables before they are initialized, makes for more secure scripts and better programming practice. Then you just use isset() like nick89 suggested.

After development is complete, you can just stick error reporting back to normal if you'd like.

Originally Posted by Chroder

I like to set error reporting to E_ALL so you cannot use variables before they are initialized, makes for more secure scripts and better programming practice. Then you just use isset() like nick89 suggested.

After development is complete, you can just stick error reporting back to normal if you'd like.

Unfortunately most of us do not have control of the PHP error reporting setting in the server that is hosting our website

Well fortunate for you the good people over at php decided to make a function just for that...

error_reporting(E_ALL)

error_repoting(E_ALL);
</ semi-colon nazi>

Oh, I was giving the person a benefit of a doubt. You know, that they knew where semicolons went.

well, i learnt something today... thanks captain o my captain...

No problem boss