An @ before a function

I've got a class downloaded from internet, in this class i have seen pieces of code like that:

if(@strlen($serv[3]) == 3){
...
}

The question is the meaning og the @ before the function. This is only an example because during all the class this happens many times.

The @ surpresses any errors that might be found

Thanks!! Now you've mention it i remeber that i've read somethig sometime ago.
:o

Ill make this thread sticky for awhile as it is good to know and nearly impossible to find in the PHP documentation.

http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.operators.errorcontrol.php

Here :)

Originally posted by Jeewhizz
http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.operators.errorcontrol.php

Here :)

Nice work. I spent much time trying to find that. I had found it once before but it's almost like trying to find a needle in a haystack. :thumbsup:

hrmm is that similar to something like this

@mysql_query(" ........ ");

also to suppress errors? (why use it if you have or die(" ");)

The or die ("...") is so you can have your own error message, obviously. If you do it without the @ you will get your error and the mysql error plastered all over your page, which is then completley pointless having the die message

You could also want to put an @ before a function that you need, but if it does not work, you dont want the whole page to fail, eg. Adding a number of times a page has been viewed.

Anyway, my question...

When you write your own functions, can you put an @ before them, eg:


function query($sql)
{
$sql = mysql_query($sql);
reutrn $sql;
}
@query("...");


or would it have to be:


function query($sql)
{
$sql = @mysql_query($sql);
return $sql;
}


Thanks

Take note that the error still kills the script, you just don't receive an error.


<?php

print "aa";
@print cal();
print "bb";

//prints "aa" only

?>


In response to missing-score's post, give it a try:


<?php

function cal() {
tmp();
}

print "aa";
@print cal();
print "bb";

//prints "aa" only

?>


It has the same effect.

Note that PHP changes quickly and errors may be handled diferently in older versions.

Thanks.

Im running the latest version of PHP on kryceks hosting.

I didnt know it still killed it. :confused:


Thanks tho.

Originally posted by Roost3r
hrmm is that similar to something like this

@mysql_query(" ........ ");

also to suppress errors? (why use it if you have or die(" ");)
The following code:

mysql_query($query) or print("some error occured");

will print "some error occured" when the query failed and continue with the rest of the page.

Harry.