Question

I have this right now to use a cookie value if exists otherwise use a default value:

$default_carat_min = "0.25";
if($_COOKIE["diamond-search_caratMin"])
{
    $default_carat_min = $_COOKIE["diamond-search_caratMin"];
}

I am going to have to do this with a lot of variables, and its going to get really cluttered/ugly. So I am trying to come up with a cleaner way of writing this.

I tried:

$default_carat_min = $_COOKIE["diamond-search_caratMin"] | "0.25";

Which did not work.

I can do this:

$default_carat_min = $_COOKIE["diamond-search_caratMin"] ? $_COOKIE["diamond-search_caratMin"] : "0.25";

But I don’t like how I have to repeat the $_COOKIE twice. I am wondering if there is a way to write it something like my 2nd example?

Answer 1

PHP 5.3 added a shortform for the ternary operator:

$default_carat_min = $_COOKIE["diamond-search_caratMin"] ?: "0.25";

Which evaluates to the left side if the left side is true, and evaluates to the right side otherwise.

Prior to 5.3, however, you’d have to use the long form.