Is there a split function in PHP that works similar to the JavaScript split()? For some reason explode() returns an array of length 1 when an empty string is given.
Example:
$aList = explode(",", ""); -> to return a 0-length array
$aList = explode(",", "1"); -> to return a 1-length array $aList[0] = 1
$aList = explode(",", "1,5"); -> to return a 2-length array $aList[0] = 1 and $aList[1] = 5
I have two suggestion for you
1. check empty string before explode
if( strlen($str) ){
$aList = explode(",", $str);
}
2. use empty method to check array
$aList = explode(",", $str);
if( empty($aList) ){}
if( !empty($aList) ){}
How about
$aList = empty($aString) ? [] : explode(',', $aString)
However, the comment by @bassxzero using preg_split also looks nice.
All you have to do is check the return value of "explode()":
https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.explode.php
If delimiter is an empty string (""), explode() will return FALSE.
PS:
Q: What's the rationale for "array of 1"?
A string that doesn't contain the delimiter will simply return a one-length array of the original string (here, an "empty"string).
"GetSet" put it very well in his comment above:
Any split or explode will return 1. Logically, that's all there is left.
preg_split('~,~',$some_string,-1,PREG_SPLIT_NO_EMPTY)with thePREG_SPLIT_NO_EMPTYflag. php.net/manual/en/function.preg-split.php