is_scalar() returns TRUE if the variable given by the var parameter is a scalar, otherwise it returns FALSE.
Scalar variables are those containing an integer, float, string or boolean. For example:
<!-- TODO: better example, this one can be quite misleading for unexperienced
programmers -->
function show_var($var) {
if (is_scalar($var))
echo $var;
else
var_dump($var);
}
$pi = 3.1416;
$proteins = array("hemoglobin", "cytochrome c oxidase", "ferredoxin");
show_var($pi);
// prints: 3.1416
show_var($proteins)
// prints:
// array(3) {
// [0]=>
// string(10) "hemoglobin"
// [1]=>
// string(20) "cytochrome c oxidase"
// [2]=>
// string(10) "ferredoxin"
// } |
Note: is_scalar() does not consider resource type values to be scalar values. This behavior is intentional: Resources are abstract datatypes which are currently based on integers. This implementation detail should not be relied upon, as it may change.
Note: Since 4.0.5
See also is_bool(), is_numeric(), is_float(), is_int(), is_real(), is_string(), is_object(), is_array(), and is_integer().