assigning a value in if statement is not working

[jeff5656]

Let's assume $pt_name has a certain value:

if ($pt_name != ""){
$came == "This came from consult list";
  }

 

But when I echo $came it is blank.  If $pt_name has a value (in this case lets say "johnson") why is $came blank?

[mrMarcus]

'cause using the == operator is testing the value .. use just a single = when assigning.

 

ie., $came = "This came from consult list";

[jeff5656]

  if ($pt_name !== ""){
  $came = "This came from consult list";
  	  }
	  else {
	  $came = "";
	  }

 

Thanks that works but now even if pt_name is blank, I get $came = "This came from consult list";

Why is it not going to the else statement even when pt is blank?

[thepip3r]

trim $pt_name to ensure that there's no " " -- or blank space entry which is causing the var to have data, it's just a blank character.

[jeff5656]

No there were no blank spaces. I type " and then immediately typed another " and it still does not work.

When I echo $pt_name it is blank.

[premiso]

if (!empty($pt_name)){
$came = "This came from consult list";
     }

 

Use empty instead.

[mrMarcus]

you're not telling it what to do .. for instance, are you asking for the string length to be checked?  or if the string is set or not?  or if it's empty?

 

any one of the following will suffice .. isset() is most common.

 

if (isset ($pt_name))
{
     $came = "This came from consult list";
}
else {
     $came = "not set";
}

 

or...

 

if (strlen($pt_name) > 0)
{
     $came = "This came from consult list";
}
else {
     $came = "no value present";
}

[jeff5656]

Thanks the !empty solution worked.

To mrMarcus:  After that code, later on I have this statement:

 

 

<textarea name="comments" id="comments" cols="50" rows="4" ><?php echo $came;?></textarea>

[mrMarcus]

Thanks the !empty solution worked.

To mrMarcus:  After that code, later on I have this statement:

 

 

<textarea name="comments" id="comments" cols="50" rows="4" ><?php echo $came;?></textarea>

what's wrong with the textarea?