What's the most succinct way in PHP to test if an array key is exists and save it's value?

Question

This seems really clunky:

if (empty($xml['soap:Envelope']['soap:Body']['SendPurchasesResponse']['PurchasesResponse']['Status']['Code'])) {
    $status = $xml['soap:Envelope']['soap:Body']['SendPurchasesResponse']['PurchasesResponse']['Status']['Code'];
}

Is there a better way to handle "Undefined index" errors in the event that some of those array keys are missing? As you might guess, this array is coming from an XML based API and I can't trust their response to me.

Do you think using suppressing errors using "@" is a cop out:

$status = @$xml['soap:Envelope']['soap:Body']['SendPurchasesResponse']['PurchasesResponse']['Status']['Code'];

Don't suppress errors. Use the answer in the cited duplicate. — webbiedave, May 10 '12 at 19:29

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered May 10 '12 at 19:13

0

How would this work for you?

try {
  $status = $xml['soap:Envelope']['soap:Body']['SendPurchasesResponse']['PurchasesResponse']['Status']['Code'];
} catch (Exception $e) {
  $status = ""
}

answered May 10 '12 at 19:13

ringe

812
6
14

I like it! I hadn't thought a PHP Notice error would be caught as an exception. – weotch May 10 '12 at 22:15

What's the most succinct way in PHP to test if an array key is exists and save it's value?

1 Answers1