ifsetor(), goto, 5.x, my two cents

Ron,

I was thinking about behavioral variants but left them out to keep my
message shorter. I haven't really thought of a clean way to use one
named function to provide both types of functionality. I was
originally thinking of a constant parameter to indicate a "mode" but
with the arbitrary length parameter list, it would have to come at
the beginning, removing the possibility of optionality. For
understandability of code, it might make sense to implement two
functions with the same behavior and similar names, but a different
underlying call, so the intent is obvious upon reading.

Another possibility could be a variant where the first parameter
would be a bool-returning callback and the return would be the first
parameter that, when passed to that callback, returns a true (or non-
zero/non-null) value.

As a final note, I would say that both isset() and !empty() are
valuable and to neglect either one for syntactical sugar-coating
might be an oversight. Both are different and have applications to
the concept, so both should supported in some fashion.

Thanks,
-Noah Botimer

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

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