isset vs empty vs is_null

Question

I\'m trying to write a script that when a user uploads a file and does not enter a name an error is returned. I\'ve tried using is_null, empty, and isset and they all do not

Answer 1

isset()

From PHP manual – isset():

isset — Determine if a variable is set and is not NULL

In other words, it returns true only when the variable is not null.

empty()

From PHP Manual – empty():

empty — Determine whether a variable is empty

In other words, it will return true if the variable is an empty string, false, array(), NULL, “0?, 0, and an unset variable.

is_null()

From PHP Manual – is_null():

is_null — Finds whether a variable is NULL

In other words, it returns true only when the variable is null. is_null() is opposite of isset(), except for one difference that isset() can be applied to unknown variables, but is_null() only to declared variables.