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Date: Thu, 09 Jun 2005 15:33:07 +0200
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Subject: Re: ifsetor(), goto, 5.x, my two cents
From: taco@procurios.nl (Taco van den Broek)

It will be difficult to define the check for such a coalesce function 
that everybody agrees on. Personnally I like the !empty test, but would 
want it to check on != 0 too. Most probably my favourite check would be 
something like:

!empty($foo) || (string)$foo !== ''

Someone else might want this function to check only with is_null or 
isset or any combination of is_null, isset, empty and (string)$foo !== ''.

I do hope this kind of functionallity is added to PHP at some time but 
I'm pretty sceptical about the way such a function would behave.

Ron Korving wrote:
> I must say, I like the coalesce() idea a lot. It gives more flexibility over
> ifsetor() which sounds to me like it only handles 1 variable that is or
> isn't set. coalesce() would handle any number of variables.
> 
> Here's something else to consider though:
> 
> Would anybody be interested in a parameter for ifsetor() or coalesce() that
> would use !empty() instead of isset() ? If coalesce() would become the
> function name of choice, you can't drop in a parameter to achieve what I
> just said, so an alternative function would be better in that case (or maybe
> it would be better in any case). I know I'd love to see some variant like
> this. I use empty() a lot more than isset().
> 
> Ron
> 
> 
> "Noah Botimer" <noah@botimer.net> wrote in message
> news:ECDCEE8D-2160-46B7-BF84-AB163E477707@botimer.net...
> 
>>Hello all,
>>
>>Now that my PHP-DEV imap folder has cooled off a bit, I'd like to
>>chime in briefly on ifsetor() and goto.
>>
>>As far as ifsetor() goes, I like the concept.  I would, however,
>>suggest a specific behavior and a name change.  I do a lot of
>>database code and use things like ISNULL() and COALESCE() to
>>translate NULL values to 0's, placeholder strings, etc.  ISNULL()
>>typically provides a check of one value, and acts just as a ternary
>>operation:
>>
>>value = check ? check : alternative;
>>
>>while COALESCE() usually returns the first non-null parameter, or
>>NULL if all are parameters are NULL.
>>
>>Since PHP already supports arbitrary/optional parameters natively, I
>>think a single coalesce() function would be a very reasonable
>>extension that would behave in an understandable and desirable manner
>>(with a name that matches at least some common usage).
>>
>>As for goto, we may be fighting over nothing.  There is a lot of
>>abuse that may be done with goto, as has been illustrated but, with a
>>couple of sensible limitations, the horrific problems should be
>>averted.  It also seems to me that GOTO is far less often mentioned
>>to beginners as a means of flow control since line-numbered BASIC has
>>faded.  People who get into trouble with it will likely have a good
>>reason to be playing with fire.  I say: put it in, label it
>>dangerous, and let the developers decide if it's right for them.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>-Noah Botimer