is there a shorthand version of checking if numerous variables have the same value please ?
instead of :-
if ($a="valid") {do stuff;} if ($b="valid") {do stuff;} if ($c="valid") {do stuff;} if ($d="valid") {do stuff;} is there something like:-
if ($a or $b or $c or $d = "valid") {do stuff;} Just put all of the variables you want to check into an array and use in_array() to check them all at once:
if (in_array('valid', array($a, $b, $c, $d))) { do stuff; } John Conde's solution of putting together an array and then using in_array is a good solution. In case you want to stick with basic string comparisons, somewhat like in your example code, then you could do:
if ($a == 'valid' or $b == 'valid' or $c == 'valid' or $d == 'valid') { // DO STUFF } Something to keep in mind, based on what I noticed from your example code: When doing comparisons for equality in PHP, use == and not =. The single = is for assignment, while the double == is for comparison.
You could extract a function doing the comparison and have :
if (check($a) || check($b) ...) It's not as sexy as John proposition (whatever his girlfriend says) I have to admit.
if ($a == 'valid' || $b == 'valid' || $c == 'valid' || $d == 'valid') { // DO STUFF }
This would be best because if first condition is true then no need to check rest.
Yes you can, like this:
if (($a || $b || $c || $d) == "valid") 
&& is the logical AND operator. If you do $a && $b && $c && $d, you'll either get true or false - you will never get a string with value "valid". If you use the || logical OR operator for - you'll still run into the same issue.