Possible to make a zero be true?

Question

I have a string:

$string = '0';

And in an echo statement like this:

echo ($string ? 'true':'false');

I want the '0' to be true. It currently is false.

Is there a way to adjust the echo statement? I know I can for example add a space in the string:

$string = ' 0';

And it will be true. But I am hoping for a solution that doesn't require me adjusting the string.

@AlonEitan How do you mean? Note that I do not want to adjust the string variable, unless if that is the only option. — Henrik Petterson, Aug 21 '20 at 09:46
Does this answer your question? [How to treat zero values as true using php?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/43387096/how-to-treat-zero-values-as-true-using-php) — Nico Haase, Aug 21 '20 at 09:47
Does this helps you? https://www.php.net/manual/fr/types.comparisons.php — Clément Baconnier, Aug 21 '20 at 09:48
@HenrikPetterson I only changed the condition, not the string — Alon Eitan, Aug 21 '20 at 09:50

Dai · Answer 1 · 2020-08-21T09:54:26.133

1

Is there a way to adjust the echo statement?

No - not without editing PHP's source code and rebuilding it yourself. The echo statement in PHP has 20-year-old well-documented behaviour - it would be foolish to make your PHP environment incompatible with the rest of the PHP ecosystem just to save yourself a few keystrokes.

A better idea is just to add your own global function:

<?php

function zeroToBoolText( $str ) {
    if( !is_string( $str ) ) die( "Argument is not a string." );
    if( $str === '0' ) {
        return 'true';
    }
    else {
        return ( $str ? 'true' : 'false' );
    }
}

?>

Used like so:

$string = '0';

echo zeroToBoolText( $string );

edited Aug 21 '20 at 09:54

answered Aug 21 '20 at 09:49

Dai

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So essentially, this would work: `echo ($string || $string === '0' ? 'true':'false');` – Henrik Petterson Aug 21 '20 at 09:53
@HenrikPetterson Have you tested it? – Dai Aug 21 '20 at 09:54
i have naukri, freshersworld too @HenrikPetterson – Eibs Aug 21 '20 at 10:30

Eibs · Answer 2 · 2020-08-21T09:52:50.540

0

Using the below condition you can change if string is 0 true..

    if($string === '0')
    {
        $string = true;
    }
    else
    {
        $string = false;
    }

Try it, i think you need this one thank you..

edited Aug 21 '20 at 09:52

answered Aug 21 '20 at 09:49

Eibs

86
8

It's important to use the exactly-equal-to operator `===` instead of the approximately-equal-to operator `==` in PHP - otherwise your posted code won't work the way OP wants it to. – Dai Aug 21 '20 at 09:51
Just replace that exact-equal-to operator, it will return a correct result : - ) – Eibs Aug 21 '20 at 09:53

Possible to make a zero be true?

2 Answers2