Date: 05/04/07 (PHP Community)    Keywords: php

Let's say I want to see if $_REQUEST['id'] is set give variable '$a' that value, and if not give it a default value. The way I would write it is this:

if (isset($_REQUEST['id'])) {
$a = $_REQUEST['id'];
} else {
$a = "default value";
}

My friend would write it like this:

$a = !empty($_REQUEST['a']) ? $_REQUEST['a'] : 'default value';

... his way seems pretty well, better. The variable "$a" is already there, and the conditions for what value to use are being set inside it (as I read it) rather than my way, which checks to see if this other variable exists first; and then sets $a appropriately.

My question is where can I read up on this practice of writing PHP rather than what I now consider my old, clunky style.

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/php/563673.html