empty($var)

#1

<?php
$expected_array_got_string = 'somestring';
var_dump(empty($expected_array_got_string['some_key']));
var_dump(empty($expected_array_got_string[0]));
var_dump(empty($expected_array_got_string['0']));
var_dump(empty($expected_array_got_string[0.5]));
var_dump(empty($expected_array_got_string['0.5']));
var_dump(empty($expected_array_got_string['0 Mostel']));
?>

以上例程在PHP 5.3中的输出：

bool(false)
bool(false)
bool(false)
bool(false)
bool(false)
bool(false)

以上例程在PHP 5.4中的输出：

bool(true)
bool(false)
bool(false)
bool(false)
bool(true)
bool(true)

#2

<?php
class Registry
{
    protected $_items = array();
    public function __set($key, $value)
    {
        $this->_items[$key] = $value;
    }
    public function __get($key)
    {
        if (isset($this->_items[$key])) {
            return $this->_items[$key];
        } else {
            return null;
        }
    }
}

$registry = new Registry();
$registry->empty = '';
$registry->notEmpty = 'not empty';

var_dump(empty($registry->notExisting)); // true, so far so good
var_dump(empty($registry->empty)); // true, so far so good
var_dump(empty($registry->notEmpty)); // true, .. say what?
$tmp = $registry->notEmpty;
var_dump(empty($tmp)); // false as expected
?>

The result for empty($registry->notEmpty) is a bit unexpeced as the value is obviously set and non-empty. This is due to the fact that the empty() function uses __isset() magic functin in these cases. Although it’s noted in the documentation above, I think it’s worth mentioning in more detail as the behaviour is not straightforward. In order to achieve desired (expexted?) results, you need to add __isset() magic function to your class:

<?php
class Registry
{
    protected $_items = array();
    public function __set($key, $value)
    {
        $this->_items[$key] = $value;
    }
    public function __get($key)
    {
        if (isset($this->_items[$key])) {
            return $this->_items[$key];
        } else {
            return null;
        }
    }
    public function __isset($key)
    {
        if (isset($this->_items[$key])) {
            return (false === empty($this->_items[$key]));
        } else {
            return null;
        }
    }
}

$registry = new Registry();
$registry->empty = '';
$registry->notEmpty = 'not empty';

var_dump(empty($registry->notExisting)); // true, so far so good
var_dump(empty($registry->empty)); // true, so far so good
var_dump(empty($registry->notEmpty)); // false, finally!
?>

It actually seems that empty() is returning negation of the __isset() magic function result, hence the negation of the empty() result in the __isset() function above.