if check with multiple logical operators failing with error

[raphael75]

Here is my PHP code:

<?php

$a = 76;
$b = true;
$c = 0;
$d = 500;

$check = (
            ($a > 0) &&
            ($b == false) &&
            ($c == 0) &&
            ($d > 0)
        );
    
echo '[' . $check . ']' . "\n"; //echoes []

// -------------------------------

$a = 76;
$b = false;
$c = 0;
$d = 500;

$check = (
            ($a > 0) &&
            ($b == false) &&
            ($c == 0) &&
            ($d > 0)
        );
    
echo '[' . $check . ']' . "\n";
?>

This generates this error:

PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function  () in /home/abc/code/php_test/test_boolean.php:26
Stack trace:
#0 {main}
  thrown in /home/abc/code/php_test/test_boolean.php on line 26

I can't figure out why this error is occurring. Why does changing $b to false make it think it's a function call?

I get this error if I run it in the browser or on the command line. However, testing it in different online php testers doesn't cause an error and produces the expected output. I don't know why this is causing an error on my local. I tried with both php7.3.31 and php 8.0.12

[ginerjm]

I am unfamiliar with the statements you are writing.  I"m guessing you want to know the value of the set of 4 conditions.  Why don't you write an If statement to do that?  And what do you want to see after you perform this test?  You are only showing a result wrapped in brackets.  When I run this it works just fine but it looks rather silly.   Here is how I would have done this:

echo "Test #1 gives ";
$a = 76;
$b = true;
$c = 0;
$d = 500;
if(($a > 0) &&
		($b == false) &&
		($c == 0) &&
		($d > 0))
	echo "The result is 'true'<br>";
else
	echo "The result is 'false'<br>";

echo "Test #2 gives ";
$a = 76;
$b = false;
$c = 0;
$d = 500;
if(($a > 0) &&
		($b == false) &&
		($c == 0) &&
		($d > 0))
	echo "The result is 'true'<br>";
else
	echo "The result is 'false'<br>";
exit();

 

[raphael75]

It turned out to be a non-breaking space that was on the line

($b == false) &&

after the 2nd &. Removing that fixed the issue.

 

[ginerjm]

It's still an odd looking way to write a simple If.   Makes one have to puzzle over the code in the future.  Why not write a 'normal' if statement to make it easier for the next guy who has to work with your code?

[gizmola]

3 hours ago, ginerjm said:

It's still an odd looking way to write a simple If.   Makes one have to puzzle over the code in the future.  Why not write a 'normal' if statement to make it easier for the next guy who has to work with your code?

Agree, but it's pretty clear this is someone learning PHP who is perhaps doing coursework.  Writing code of this sort would not be viewed kindly in any professional environment where there are code reviews.