Check if a variable is empty

Question

I have some user-submitted variables that I want to display in a different part of my site like this:

Term: 


        
      

Answer 1

If isset() does not work, try empty() instead:

 
    
Term: 
    

         ID, $key, true); ?>
    
 

isset() will deliver TRUE if the value is set and has a value different from NULL.

empty() instead will deliver TRUE (hence !empty() results in FALSE) for:

• "" (an empty string)
• 0 (0 as an integer)
• "0" (0 as a string)
• NULL
• FALSE
• array() (an empty array)
• var $var; (a variable declared, but without a value in a class)

I assume your $key is set but with an empty string. Thus, empty() is the way to go here.