PHP: Ternary Operators

Matthew. · 01-14-2007, 10:20 AM

Note this tutorial was written a while back, as such my coding habits have been changed a bit and some formatting it a bit out of date

This tutorial will explain the method known as "ternary operators" which you will see me especially using a lot. They are also present in javascript and a few other languages, but that's not the point of this tutorial. It's just a quicky and not that in depth but i hope you get something out of it.

Every found your self diving into endless reams of code just to set a simple variable??

e.g:

PHP Code:

  <?php

if( $arraycount > 1 ) 

{

    $result = 'yes';

????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/webmaster-tutorials/281181-php-ternary-operators.html
}

else

{

    $result = 'no';

}

?>

How stupid is that? So many lines of code for just 1 variable?

The Quick if!

It works like this:

Quote:

function/string ( first condition ) ? "value if true" : "value if false";

So for the above code, we can do this:

PHP Code:

  <?php       

$result = ( $arraycount > 1 ) ? 'yes' : 'no';

?>

It does the exact same thing!!

Of course you can also do:
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=281181

PHP Code:

  <?php

echo  ( $arraycount > 1 ) ? 'yes' : 'no';

?>

And another example because im bored and theres nothing on TV.

PHP Code:

  echo (eregi('msie', getenv('HTTP_USER_AGENT'))) ? 'Youre using IE!' : 'Youre not using IE!';

Anything really, its a good way of keeping order in your code and sparing your fingers. There are a few disadvantages to this technique, for starters it is rarely ever used within a tutorial as the conditional can be missed and since the technique is not widely used it is also not widely understood. The format of the conditional is also not great when debugging.

Any questions/comments, post below and when i get time i or someone else will reply.
Matt.

lee101 · 01-15-2007, 08:25 AM

Thanks for explaning that, I'd seen similar syntax a while back and didn't exactly understand how it worked

Rep++ (I think)

psalzmann · 01-15-2007, 08:27 AM

I use this all the time. Makes code a lot cleaner indeed.
Good call

Matthew. · 01-15-2007, 09:33 AM

Thanks for the rep Lee

Glad it helped.

Just be sure not to overuse it psalzmann

sathish5566 · 01-16-2007, 07:41 AM

sorrry ya i didnt understand thank you for ur tutorial

01-15-2007, 08:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
lee101 NamePros Regular Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 413 Follow @leefindlow	Thanks for explaning that, I'd seen similar syntax a while back and didn't exactly understand how it worked Rep++ (I think) __________________ Linux Screenshots

01-15-2007, 09:33 AM	THREAD STARTER #4 (permalink)
Matthew. Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: England Posts: 1,565	Thanks for the rep Lee Glad it helped. Just be sure not to overuse it psalzmann __________________ University Grade Calculator juegosjuegos Your Hotel in Austria Matratzen

01-15-2007, 08:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
psalzmann NamePros Regular Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 526	I use this all the time. Makes code a lot cleaner indeed. Good call

01-16-2007, 07:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
sathish5566 New Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 6	sorrry ya i didnt understand thank you for ur tutorial

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)