http://php.planetmirror.com/manual/e....operators.php

shows the ? operator but I can't seem to find a description of what it means or what it does. Does anyone know?

__________________
An overworked Web Developer who\'s expected to know everything yet given time to study nothing.

Here's a brief description:

The '?' operator is like a shortcut for the if() function.

This:

if($variable === TRUE) doSomething();
else doSomethingElse();

Is equivalent to this:

($variable === TRUE) ? doSomething() : doSomethingElse();

HTH,

Snib

<><

It's called the ternary operator, and its an expression, if / else if / else are control structures, so technically it isn't just a shortcut for if/else

The manual shows an example like this:

<?php
$first ? $second : $third;
?>

Each of the variables represents a sub expression,
If the value $first subexpression evaluates to TRUE, the code contained in $second subexpression is evaluated if the $first subexpression evaluates as FALSE the $third subexpression is evaluated. Commonly you'll find this in a use that is representable by a simple if/else structure.

if ($foo == TRUE) {

    $bar = 1;
} else {

    $bar = 0;
}

Is the same thing as saying:

$bar = ($foo == TRUE)? 1 : 0;

You can find it in the PHP manual here:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.expressions.php

Regards,
Rich

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Spicy Peanut Project
http://www.spicypeanut.net
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::