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Sun, 06 Apr 2025 01:28:23 -0700 (PDT) Precedence: bulk list-help: list-post: List-Id: internals.lists.php.net x-ms-reactions: disallow MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <17aa0250-ee1f-477a-a255-303281d7a833@app.fastmail.com> In-Reply-To: Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2025 11:28:11 +0300 X-Gm-Features: ATxdqUGMbbNmGqOYuX0tSZulntxvb2KtQEXyXbOoQ2hvL1DndfmJRij8MChGU7E Message-ID: Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] RFC: blank() Function as a Complement to empty() To: Hans Henrik Bergan Cc: Rob Landers , internals@lists.php.net Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="00000000000018ae62063217e7f0" From: i.miroslavov@gmail.com (Iliya Miroslavov Iliev) --00000000000018ae62063217e7f0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable On Sun, Apr 6, 2025 at 9:52=E2=80=AFAM Hans Henrik Bergan wrote: > Maybe a > #[\SuppressUndefinedWarning] > > Parameter attribute could work, then everyone could implement their own > blank() function with their own preferred logic > > Not sure if it's technically feasible tho, now the php engine would need > to inspect the parameter attributes before deciding on generating a warni= ng > or not, idk how hard that would be. > > On Sat, Apr 5, 2025, 22:27 Iliya Miroslavov Iliev > wrote: > >> >> >> On Sat, Apr 5, 2025 at 11:04=E2=80=AFPM Rob Landers = wrote: >> >>> On Sat, Apr 5, 2025, at 14:15, Kayck Matias wrote: >>> >>> *INTRODUCTION* >>> This RFC proposes the addition of a new global function blank() to >>> PHP=E2=80=99s core, intended to provide a more intuitive and context-se= nsitive way >>> of checking for "blank" values. This function is *not a replacement* >>> for empty(), but a *complementary tool *to help developers more >>> accurately evaluate user input, query parameters, and form values =E2= =80=94 >>> particularly in situations where empty() may behave in unintuitive ways= . >>> >>> >>> >>> *MOTIVATION*The motivation for this RFC arose from a real-world issue I >>> encountered at work involving query string filtering =E2=80=94 specific= ally when >>> using the string "0" as a filter value. Because empty("0") evaluates to >>> true, the logic skipped this valid input, causing incorrect behavior in >>> the application. This highlighted a gap in PHP=E2=80=99s current toolse= t for >>> handling =E2=80=9Cblank=E2=80=9D values in a more semantic and intentio= n-aligned way. >>> >>> >>> I would personally advocate that empty() NEVER be used on strings. Ther= e >>> are too many edge cases. As I said in an earlier message on the thread,= if >>> you want to know if a string is empty, just do $string =3D=3D "" -- not= e the >>> double equals, not triple equals. This matches null, an actual empty >>> string, and false, but won't match anything else. >>> >>> *PROPOSAL* >>> The proposed blank() function will behave similarly to empty(), but >>> with semantics better suited for filtering, validation, and user input.= Its >>> primary goals are: >>> >>> - >>> >>> To treat whitespace-only strings as blank (e.g., " "). >>> - >>> >>> To treat "0" (string zero) and 0 (int zero) as *not blank*, unlike >>> empty(). >>> - >>> >>> To support clearer, intention-driven logic when working with dynamic >>> input, especially in query strings and HTTP forms. >>> >>> Function Signature >>> >>> function blank(mixed $value): bool; >>> >>> Logic (PHP version) >>> >>> function blank(mixed $value): bool >>> { >>> if ( >>> false =3D=3D=3D $value || >>> (empty($value) && '0' !=3D $value) || >>> (\is_string($value) && '' =3D=3D=3D \trim($value)) >>> ) { >>> return true; >>> } >>> >>> return false; >>> } >>> >>> Examples >>> echo blank(null); // true >>> echo blank(false); // true >>> echo blank(""); // true >>> echo blank(" "); // true >>> echo blank([]); // true >>> >>> echo blank(0); // false >>> echo blank("0"); // false >>> echo blank("test"); // false >>> echo blank([0]); // false >>> >>> >>> I agree with most of these. I do not agree that " " (a space) is blank >>> though. For people without last names, this is often their last name to >>> pass validation on forms. As I said earlier, a simple loose check with = an >>> empty string is usually all you need, not empty(). >>> >>> Best Regards, >>> Kayck Matias =E2=98=95 >>> >>> >>> =E2=80=94 Rob >>> >> >> Just something that came into my mind. A "normal space" character is 32, >> "non-breaking space" is 160 and a "zero width space" is 8203. These are = all >> characters so they are not blank and cannot be ignored >> -- >> Iliya Miroslavov Iliev >> i.miroslavov@gmail.com >> > > then everyone could implement their own blank() function with their own preferred logic If this can still be implemented in userland you don't need logic integrated at low level --=20 Iliya Miroslavov Iliev i.miroslavov@gmail.com --00000000000018ae62063217e7f0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable


On Sun, Apr 6, = 2025 at 9:52=E2=80=AFAM Hans Henrik Bergan <divinity76@gmail.com> wrote:

Maybe a
#[\SuppressUndefinedWarning]

Parameter attribute could work, then everyone could implemen= t their own blank() function with their own preferred logic

Not sure if it's technically feasible tho, now the php e= ngine would need to inspect the parameter attributes before deciding on gen= erating a warning or not, idk how hard that would be.


On Sat= , Apr 5, 2025, 22:27 Iliya Miroslavov Iliev <i.miroslavov@gmail.com> wrote:
<= /div>


On Sat, Apr 5, 2025 at 11:04=E2=80=AFPM Rob Landers <r= ob@bottled.codes> wrote:
On Sat, Apr 5, 2025, at 14:15, Kayck Mati= as wrote:
INTRODUCTION
This RFC proposes the addition of= a new global function=C2=A0blank()=C2=A0to PHP=E2=80=99s core= , intended to provide a more intuitive and context-sensitive way of checkin= g for "blank" values. This function is=C2=A0not a replacement<= /b>=C2=A0for=C2=A0empty(), but a=C2=A0complementary tool=C2= =A0to help developers more accurately evaluate user input, query parame= ters, and form values =E2=80=94 particularly in situations where=C2=A0empty()=C2=A0may behave in unintuitive ways.


MOTIVATION
The motivation for this RFC aros= e from a real-world issue I encountered at work involving query string filt= ering =E2=80=94 specifically when using the string=C2=A0"0"= =C2=A0as a filter value. Because=C2=A0empty("0")=C2=A0evaluates to=C2=A0true, the logic skipped this valid = input, causing incorrect behavior in the application. This highlighted a ga= p in PHP=E2=80=99s current toolset for handling =E2=80=9Cblank=E2=80=9D val= ues in a more semantic and intention-aligned way.

I would personally advocate that empty() NEVER be = used on strings. There are too many edge cases. As I said in an earlier mes= sage on the thread, if you want to know if a string is empty, just do $stri= ng =3D=3D "" -- note the double equals, not triple equals. This m= atches null, an actual empty string, and false, but won't match anythin= g else.

<= div dir=3D"ltr">
PROPOSAL
The proposed=C2=A0= blank()=C2=A0function will behave similarly to=C2=A0empty(), but with semantics better suited for filtering, validation, and user = input. Its primary goals are:

  • To treat whitespace-only strings as blank (e.g.,=C2=A0" &= quot;).

  • To treat=C2=A0= "0"=C2=A0(string zero) and=C2=A00=C2=A0= (int zero) as=C2=A0not blank, unlike=C2=A0empty().
    <= /p>

  • To support clearer, intention-dri= ven logic when working with dynamic input, especially in query strings and = HTTP forms.

Function Si= gnature

function blank(mixed =
$value): bool;

Logic (PH=
P version)
function blank(mixed $value): bool
{
    if (
        false =3D=3D=3D =
$value ||
        (empty($value) &&=
; '0'=
; !=3D $value) ||
        (\is_str=
ing($value) &&=
 '' =3D=3D=3D \trim($value))
    ) {
        return true;
    }

    return false;
}
<=
/div>
Examples
e= cho=C2=A0blank(null);=C2=A0// true
echo=C2=A0blank(<= span style=3D"color:rgb(189,147,249)">false);=C2=A0// true
echo=C2=A0blank<= /span>("");=C2=A0// true
echo=C2=A0blank("<= span style=3D"color:rgb(241,250,140)">=C2=A0");=C2=A0/= / true
echo=C2=A0blank([]);=C2=A0// true

echo=C2=A0blank(0<= /span>);=C2=A0// false
echo=C2=A0blank("0");=C2=A0// false
echo=C2=A0blank(<= span style=3D"color:rgb(233,242,132)">"test");=C2=A0// false
<= div>echo=C2=A0blank([0]);=C2=A0// false
=

= I agree with most of these. I do not agree that " " (a space) is = blank though. For people without last names, this is often their last name = to pass validation on forms. As I said earlier, a simple loose check with a= n empty string is usually all you need, not empty().

Best Regards,
Kayck Matias=C2=A0=E2= =98=95

<= div id=3D"m_2170042669567627025m_-449414616074438654m_-1637272977242180560s= ig121229152">=E2=80=94 Rob
Just something that came into my mind. A "no= rmal space"=C2=A0character is 32, "non-breaking space" is 16= 0 and a "zero width space" is=C2=A08203. These are all characters= so they are not blank and cannot be ignored
--
Iliya Miroslavov Iliev

>=C2=A0 then everyo= ne could implement their own blank() function with their own preferred logi= c
If this can still be implemented in userland you don't need logic = integrated at low level
--
Iliya Mi= roslavov Iliev
--00000000000018ae62063217e7f0--