CODEWITHSUNDEEP
phparraysforeach
Dr.Kameleon
Dr.Kameleon

Reputation: 22820

Using foreach with a variable which may NOT be an array

So, here's my situation :

I'm getting some input stored in a variable ($keywords). This variable may either be a string (=1 keyword) - like "banana", or it may be an array (=multiple keywords) - like array ("banana","apple","mango").

This is the way I'm using it :

foreach ($keywords as $keyword)
{
    // do sth with $keyword
}

This works fine when $keyword is an array, but when it's not I'm getting errors. (quite obviously)

What would be the most efficient workaround, to avoid errors, while keeping my foreach structure as-is?

This is what I've thought of (to put before the loop), but I don't really like it :

if (count($keywords)==1) $keywords = array($keywords);

UPDATE : Guys, I know about is_array. My point was to do it as elegantly as possible, without adding block of code or creating a mess with switch or if/else statements, etc.

Upvotes: 3

Views: 146

Answers (5)

amd
amd

Reputation: 21452

simply cast the variable to array:

$keywords = (array) $keywords;

if the variable is an array no thing will happen , otherwise it will be transformed to an array : so 1 will be array(1) AND 'keyword' will be array('keyword')

Upvotes: 6

dpitkevics
dpitkevics

Reputation: 1258

$type = gettype($keywords);
switch ($type)
{
    case "string":
       // do what you need with string
       break;
    case "array":
       foreach ($keywords as $keyword)
       {
           // do smth when is array
       }
       break;
}

Check for type, my solution allows You to check wether is string, array or other type, which You may specify if needed. In simplier solution, use if (is_array($keywords);

Upvotes: 0

kawashita86
kawashita86

Reputation: 1573

use the php is_array built-in function

if(is_array($keywords))
foreach ($keywords as $keyword)
{
    // do sth with $keyword
}

Upvotes: 0

Stijn_d
Stijn_d

Reputation: 1078

Just use the is_array command: http://php.net/manual/en/function.is-array.php

Upvotes: 0

MiDo
MiDo

Reputation: 1057

if (isset($keywords) && !is_array($keywords)) { $keywords = Array($keywords); }
else if (!isset($keywords)) { $keywords = Array(); }

Upvotes: 0

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