PHP Error Control Operators

The PHP error control operators are a set of operators that allow developers to handle errors and warnings in a more controlled manner. In PHP, errors and warnings are often displayed directly on the webpage, which can be undesirable for end-users. The error control operators help to suppress these error messages, allowing developers to handle them in a more appropriate way.

There are two error control operators in PHP: @ and or die(). Let’s take a closer look at each one.

The @ Operator

The @ operator is used to suppress errors and warnings in PHP. When placed in front of an expression or function call, it tells PHP not to display any error messages that may be generated by that expression or function call. Here is an example:

@mysql_connect('localhost', 'username', 'password');

In this example, the @ operator is used to suppress any errors or warnings that may be generated by the mysql_connect function call. If an error occurs, it will not be displayed on the webpage.

While the @ operator can be useful in certain situations, it should be used with caution. Suppressing errors and warnings can make it difficult to debug code and identify potential issues.

The or die() Operator

The or die() operator is used to handle errors and warnings in a more controlled manner. When placed after an expression or function call, it tells PHP to display a specific error message if that expression or function call fails. Here is an example:

$result = mysql_query('SELECT * FROM users') or die('Error: ' . mysql_error());

In this example, the or die() operator is used to display an error message if the mysql_query function call fails. If an error occurs, the mysql_error function will be called, and its output will be concatenated with the string ‘Error: ‘ to create a custom error message.

The or die() operator can be very useful in situations where errors and warnings must be handled in a specific way. However, it should also be used with caution. Using or die() excessively can lead to cluttered and difficult-to-read code.

In conclusion, the PHP error control operators are useful tools for handling errors and warnings in a more controlled manner. The @ operator can be used to suppress errors and warnings, while the or die() operator can be used to handle errors and warnings in a specific way. By using these operators appropriately, developers can write more effective and efficient PHP code.

Example for PHP Error Control Operators

<?php @include_once “test_file” ; echo ‘Text to follow the include’; ?>