[SOLVED] maeaning of ? : in php

[raman]

Can someone tell me the meaning of the following code :

$jobid = (empty($_GET['jobid'])) ? '' : $_GET['jobid'];
if (!$jobid) {
$jobid = time();
}
$blastdb = (empty($_POST['blastdb'])) ? '' : $_POST['blastdb'];
$blastpath = (empty($_POST['blastpath'])) ? '' : $_POST['blastpath'];
$patientIDarray = (empty($_POST['patientIDarray'])) ? '' : $_POST['patientIDarray'];
$opt = (empty($_GET['opt'])) ? '' : $_GET['opt'];

 

Basically I want to know WHAT IS BEING DONE FOR EVERY VARIABLE ? what is the meaning of ? : characters ? I guess this says that either the variable coming from the post method is empty or it is equal to its value.Please clarify !

[raman]

Please explain the jobid variable at length.I guess The code says that if it is empty coming from get method or it has a value or if it is neither of these then assign the value of time() function to it.

[ratcateme]

? : is a simplified if else statement

so

$vara = 5;
$var = $vara == 5 ? "Is five" : "Is not five";
//is the same as
if($var2 == 5){
    $var = "Is five";
}else{
    $var = "Is not five";
}

 

Scott.

[Zane]

also called a ternary statement

[raman]

Thanks I understand it now.

[raman]

Please explain the $jobid variable.

What my code says is tht if $_GET['jobid') is emppty then $jobid= '' else it is $_GET['jobid'] .

But after this the code says

if (!$jobid) {

  $jobid = time();

}

 

What is happening here ?

[Mchl]

if (!$jobid) {
   $jobid = time();
}

 

This code checks if $jobid is empty string ( '' ) or a '0' and if so, then assigns it a value of time()

(I assumed that at this stage $jobid will be a string after going through ?: