Is there a shorter syntax for the ternary operator in php?

Question

How can I create a shorter expression of:

$variable = @$array["property"] ? $array["property"] : DEFAULT_VALUE_CONSTANT;

To something like this:

$variable = @$array["property"] || DEFAULT_VALUE_CONSTANT;

Now I get true / false

@JayBlanchard because the property tested to be set is the one that is returned. It seems like a surplus to me. — Chris Athanasiadis, Mar 28 '16 at 13:10
Null coalescing? PHP 7 => http://php.net/manual/en/language.operators.comparison.php `$a ?? $b ?? $c` — Funk Forty Niner, Mar 28 '16 at 13:10
Yes its there but as @Fred-ii- your PHP version need to be `>=7`. Once more question why you were suppressing error instead you can use `isset` function — Narendrasingh Sisodia, Mar 28 '16 at 13:12
Apparently, it is now possible in PHP7 using Null Coalescing operator. — Ganesh Babu, Mar 28 '16 at 13:14

score 10 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:46

10

Yes it's possible in PHP7 with Null coalescing operator (??)

$variable = $array["property"] ?? DEFAULT_VALUE_CONSTANT;

If you are using PHP version < 7 one solution is use the elvis operator

$variable = $array["property"] ?: DEFAULT_VALUE_CONSTANT;

Please avoid using @ instead of isset().

References:

?: operator (the 'Elvis operator') in PHP

edited May 23 '17 at 11:46

Community

answered Mar 28 '16 at 13:10

rray

Yes @fred-ii- commented about it. But my hosting provider supports 5.6.7 for now. I guess there is not much I can do. – Chris Athanasiadis Mar 28 '16 at 13:14
@KristosAthanasiadis how about the elvis operator? `$array["property"] ?: DEFAULT_VALUE_CONSTANT;` – rray Mar 28 '16 at 13:19
you are absolutely right. That's the operator I was looking for! Can you edit your answer? – Chris Athanasiadis Mar 28 '16 at 13:20
thank you! it works as expected and yes there is no need for the error suppression – Chris Athanasiadis Mar 28 '16 at 13:27
The suppression @ is needed finally (so ignore partially the previous comment) otherwise I need to use the full ternary operator, cause if I use isset(), I will get a true | false result and not the variable tested to be set – Chris Athanasiadis Mar 28 '16 at 13:35
@KristosAthanasiadis no problem, sometimes people use `@` and does not why, if you have a reason it's ok :) – rray Mar 28 '16 at 13:36
When you cannot change the error reporting (like me) in your environment, the @ is sometimes necessary. Anyway thank you :) – Chris Athanasiadis Mar 28 '16 at 13:40

1 Answers1