PHP if null echo else echo

Question

Not sure what im doing wrong here, but the out come is always null. The script should output "you did not select an answer" only if no answer was selected but otherwise it should output the answer given:

I have updated the script as mentioned but still getting the empty output even when answer is given :/

Thanks for all the help so far guys, but even the below code doesnt work, it now just outputs as blank if no anwser, but if you do fill it in, it correctly echos the answer.

if (empty( $a1 )) {
echo"<li>\n<h2>1. " . $q1[0] . "</h2>\n"
    . "<p>You did not select an answer</p>\n"
    . "</li>\n";

}

else {

echo"<li>\n<h2>1. " . $q1[0] . "</h2>\n"
    . "<p><strong>" . $q1[$a1] . ":</strong></p>\n"
    . "<p>" . $r1[$a1] . "</p>\n"
    . "</li>\n";

}

Completely forgot to show this part!!

// get local copies of single answers
$a1 = trim(isset($_POST['a1'])?$_POST['a1']:99);
$a3 = trim(isset($_POST['a3'])?$_POST['a3']:99);
$a4 = trim(isset($_POST['a4'])?$_POST['a4']:99);
$a5 = trim(isset($_POST['a5'])?$_POST['a5']:99);

Mark · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-13 09:33:11Z

6

Don't use if($a1 == null) use if(empty($a1)) or if(isset($a1))

answered Jun 13, 2013 at 9:33

Mark

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2 Comments

Mark Over a year ago

Of course, that is why I said OR but thanks for pointing that out.

Damian Smith Over a year ago

See edited question above, still no joy, must be something else, maybe in my answers array?

Hanky Panky · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-13 09:32:06Z

1

An empty string is not null

    $a1 = '';
    if ($a1 == null)   // is wrong

should be

$a1 = '';
if ($a1 === '')

or

if (empty($a1))

answered Jun 13, 2013 at 9:32

Hanky Panky

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3 Comments

Prisoner Over a year ago

$a = ''; does equal null when not using strict comparisons

Damian Smith Over a year ago

Updated but still getting the empty output when selecting an answer

Hanky Panky Over a year ago

If there is no output then look for syntax errors in your remaining part of code.

herrhansen · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-13 09:33:00Z

0

an empty is not the same as null try

if ($a === '') this respects also the type which is better for code quality

answered Jun 13, 2013 at 9:33

herrhansen

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Comments

som · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-13 09:33:21Z

0

if (empty( $a1 )) {
    echo"<li>\n<h2>1. " . $q1[0] . "</h2>\n"
    . "<p>You did not select an answer</p>\n"
    . "</li>\n";
}
else {
    echo"<li>\n<h2>1. " . $q1[0] . "</h2>\n"
    . "<p><strong>" . $q1[$a1] . ":</strong></p>\n"
    . "<p>" . $r1[$a1] . "</p>\n"
    . "</li>\n";
}

Use empty instead of null checking

answered Jun 13, 2013 at 9:33

som

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Comments

Snehal Chavan · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-13 09:38:48Z

0

'null' is not same as false or ''.'null' is an object.

answered Jun 13, 2013 at 9:38

Snehal Chavan

1

Comments

xqterry · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-13 09:45:44Z

0

In PHP, empty string ($a) & empty array ($b) will return true if you test following express:

$a = ''; $b = array();

$a == null -> TRUE $b == null -> TRUE

also,

$a == 0 -> TRUE

So you should use '===' to test, or there's always unexpected result in your code.

answered Jun 13, 2013 at 9:45

xqterry

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