How to echo a default value if value not set blade

Question

I would like to know what would be the best way to display a default value if the given value is not set. I have the following in a blade file (I can not guaranty that the key is set, it depends on a multitude of factors).

{{ $foo['bar'] }}

I would know if the following is the best way to go about it,

{{ (isset($foo['bar']) ? $foo['bar'] : 'baz' }}

or is there a better way to do this?

Thanks :)

Parasynthesis

Answer 1

Use php's null coalesce operator:

{{ $variable ?? "Default Message" }}

---

Removed as of Laravel 5.7

With Laravel 4.1-5.6 you could simply do it like this:

{{ $variable or "Default Message" }}

It's the same as:

echo isset($variable) ? $variable : 'Default Message'; 

Cheesy

Wow that's nice, but don't you think logic like this should be kept out of the view? – Nekton

Good point. In general yes, but I see times where this can come in handy. As an example, I use this on my own site on my default template. If a title isn't sent to the view, it will echo my sites title, using the code above :). – Cheesy

But what about an error box on a login page, I need an actual if(isset($error)){ <div class="error">$error</div> } , not just the value contained in $error. (ps.: this was just pseudo code ) – Dollarbird

yeah, I've also been looking a solution for that. Above code will not work that way unfortunately, it will only echo the default output – Cheesy

If the "default " is an expression (function call, ...) and not a string, then you have to use PHP's way (see @joemaller 's post) – Contemporaneous

Using Template Variables is NOT the same as using echo. – Aq

Care to clarify? :) @AdamF If you look in your views under storage, you can seem them being translated into <?php echo e($var) ?> – Cheesy

Exactly, it's ran through the e() function first, which converts the contents to HTML Entities. – Aq

``{{$Variable ?? "Default Message"}}` See @Edmund answer for Laravel 5.7 – Actress

Jazerix please update your answer to include Edmund Sulzanok answer for laravel 5.7 and above – Vorlage

@BobbyAxe Thank you, I just did that :) – Cheesy

Answer 2

PHP 5.3's ternary shortcut syntax works in Blade templates:

{{ $foo->bar ?: 'baz' }}

It won't work with undefined top-level variables, but it's great for handling missing values in arrays and objects.

Also, for instance, if we want to show up the date an organization was created, which might not exist (for example, if we create it manually from the DB and don't link to it any records for that field), then do something like

{{ $organization->created_at ? $organization->created_at->format('d/m/Y H:i') : "NULL" }}

Semiramis

yes, this does. But why Laravel's shortcut doesn't work? – Haber

{{ @$foo->bar ?: 'baz' }} // avoids echoing errors, when bar is not set – Contemporaneous

this is not a good way of doing this. it might break your code if 'bar' property's value is set to zero, null or false.. it's going to print out "baz" if "bar" is one of those. – Nude

Answer 3

Since Laravel 5.7 {{$Variable or "Default Message"}} throws $Variable is not defined. This {{$Variable ?? "Default Message"}} works though.

Hep

In addition {{$variable or 'Default Message'}} compiles to <?php echo e($variable or 'Default Message'); ?> instead of echo isset($variable) ? $variable : 'Default Message'; – Shipley

Answer 4

I recommend setting the default value in your controller instead of making a work-around in your view.

This is the best way because it keeps logic out of your view, and keeps the view's markup clean.

For example in your controller, before passing data to the view:

if(!isset($foo['bar'])){
     $foo['bar'] = 'baz';
}

Nekton

I was hopping for a template solution, maybe something like {{ $foo['bar'] | 'baz' }} but I am coming to the conclusion that this is not a feature. – Parasynthesis

Yeah, I don't think it is, simply because that is not the purpose of the view. The view is supposed to simply display the data that is prepared beforehand in the controller. It's best to keep logic out of your view as much as possible. This keeps the concerns separated and follows MVC guidelines nicely. – Nekton

If you want to put it in the view, the way that you suggested looks like the best way to do it. – Nekton

Answer 5

Usually I use the null coalescing operator (introduced in PHP 7.0):

{{ $foo['bar'] ?? 'baz' }}

However, if 'baz' is actually a long expression (such as several lines of HTML, possibly with some PHP variables), then I use Blade‘s @isset (@else is optional but works):

@isset($foo['bar'])
    {{ $foo['bar'] }}
@else
    {{ $b }}
    <br>
    {{ $a }}
    <br>
    {{ $z }}
@endisset

(Taking a little liberty with the example, obviously.)

There’s also @empty($expr) which has similar syntax but works the same as the PHP function of the same name. This may be helpful: In where shall I use isset() and !empty()

Niela

Answer 6

While Chris B's answer is perfectly valid; I felt perhaps this is a question that can have an alternative answer. Some would prefer not to make their controllers "fat" and in this case at least, the use of a Presenter could be the answer you seek for allowing a great deal of flexibility in your application views.

Take a look at the following project/package on Github. The readme is pretty robust with a number of examples to get you going.

It will allow you to do just what you asked and simply call

{{ $foo['bar'] }}

in your view.

Listed