264

Is there a way of using an 'OR' operator or equivalent in a PHP switch?

For example, something like this:

switch ($value) {

    case 1 || 2:
        echo 'the value is either 1 or 2';
        break;
}

12 Answers 12

566
switch ($value)
{
    case 1:
    case 2:
        echo "the value is either 1 or 2.";
    break;
}

This is called "falling through" the case block. The term exists in most languages implementing a switch statement.

0
151
+25

If you must use || with switch then you can try :

$v = 1;
switch (true) {
    case ($v == 1 || $v == 2):
        echo 'the value is either 1 or 2';
        break;
}

If not your preferred solution would have been

switch($v) {
    case 1:
    case 2:
        echo "the value is either 1 or 2";
        break;
}

The issue is that both method is not efficient when dealing with large cases ... imagine 1 to 100 this would work perfectly

$r1 = range(1, 100);
$r2 = range(100, 200);
$v = 76;
switch (true) {
    case in_array($v, $r1) :
        echo 'the value is in range 1 to 100';
        break;
    case in_array($v, $r2) :
        echo 'the value is in range 100 to 200';
        break;
}
1
  • 2
    switch (true) is an antipattern that removes the only benefit of a switch block -- a single evaluation. Instead, each case needs to be evaluated and all of the break calls make a verbose snippet. I would never use this antipattern in a professional project. Commented Dec 31, 2021 at 8:24
59

I won't repost the other answers because they're all correct, but I'll just add that you can't use switch for more "complicated" statements, eg: to test if a value is "greater than 3", "between 4 and 6", etc. If you need to do something like that, stick to using if statements, or if there's a particularly strong need for switch then it's possible to use it back to front:

switch (true) {
    case ($value > 3) :
        // value is greater than 3
    break;
    case ($value >= 4 && $value <= 6) :
        // value is between 4 and 6
    break;
}

but as I said, I'd personally use an if statement there.

6
  • 2
    Glad to see that you recommended if() over switch() in this case. This kind of switch just adds complexity, IMO.
    – moo
    Commented Oct 16, 2008 at 2:08
  • 1
    yeah, you'd have to have a fairly compelling reason to choose this style, but it's good to know that it's possible.
    – nickf
    Commented Oct 16, 2008 at 2:14
  • 2
    I'm actually glad to have learned this. Every time I build a project in a Basic-y language, I miss having a C-style switch(), and when I'm working in a C-ish language I really miss having Select Case, which is really a shorthand way of saying "there's a big block of if, else if, else-if... here". Commented Oct 9, 2010 at 7:50
  • 6
    you can't use switch for more "complicated" statements is it can't or is it shouldn't ? because in your example you can
    – Sharky
    Commented Mar 24, 2015 at 8:29
  • 1
    switch (true) is an antipattern that removes the only benefit of a switch block -- a single evaluation. Instead, each case needs to be evaluated and all of the break calls make a verbose snippet. I would never use this antipattern in a professional project. Commented Dec 31, 2021 at 8:13
40

Try with these following examples in this article : [http://phpswitch.com/][1]

Possible Switch Cases :

(i). A simple switch statement

The switch statement is wondrous and magic. It's a piece of the language that allows you to select between different options for a value, and run different pieces of code depending on which value is set.

Each possible option is given by a case in the switch statement.

Example :

switch($bar)
{
    case 4:
        echo "This is not the number you're looking for.\n";
        $foo = 92;
}

(ii). Delimiting code blocks

The major caveat of switch is that each case will run on into the next one, unless you stop it with break. If the simple case above is extended to cover case 5:

Example :

case 4:
    echo "This is not the number you're looking for.\n";
    $foo = 92;
    break;

case 5:
    echo "A copy of Ringworld is on its way to you!\n";
    $foo = 34;
    break;

(iii). Using fallthrough for multiple cases

Because switch will keep running code until it finds a break, it's easy enough to take the concept of fallthrough and run the same code for more than one case:

Example :

case 2:

case 3:
case 4:
    echo "This is not the number you're looking for.\n";
    $foo = 92;
    break;

case 5:
    echo "A copy of Ringworld is on its way to you!\n";
    $foo = 34;
    break;

(iv). Advanced switching: Condition cases

PHP's switch doesn't just allow you to switch on the value of a particular variable: you can use any expression as one of the cases, as long as it gives a value for the case to use. As an example, here's a simple validator written using switch:

Example :

switch(true)
{
    case (strlen($foo) > 30):
        $error = "The value provided is too long.";
    $valid = false;
    break;

    case (!preg_match('/^[A-Z0-9]+$/i', $foo)):
        $error = "The value must be alphanumeric.";
    $valid = false;
    break;

    default:
    $valid = true;
    break;
}

I think this may help you to resolve your problem.

Php Switch Multiple conditions having different statements like-if else if but it can check only equality of the condition floating point but value can’t be check by the PHP Switch. For Example :

{
Case condition 1:
statement(s)
Break;

Case condition 2:
statement(s)
Break;

Case condition 3:
statement(s)
Break;

Default :

statement(s)
} 




  [1]: http://phpswitch.com/
2
  • Do you have any real world use-case for the example (iv)? Commented Jun 12, 2015 at 14:17
  • switch (true) is an antipattern that removes the only benefit of a switch block -- a single evaluation. Instead, each case needs to be evaluated and all of the break calls make a verbose snippet. I would never use this antipattern in a professional project. Commented Dec 31, 2021 at 8:25
15

Try

switch($value) {
    case 1:
    case 2:
        echo "the value is either 1 or 2";
        break;
}
12

I suggest you to go through switch (manual).

switch ($your_variable)
{
    case 1:
    case 2:
        echo "the value is either 1 or 2.";
    break;
}

Explanation

Like for the value you want to execute a single statement for, you can put it without a break as as until or unless break is found. It will go on executing the code and if a break found, it will come out of the switch case.

1
  • I would tab the break another time so that the developer's eye can quickly track down the case expressions. Commented Dec 31, 2021 at 8:15
9

Match expression (PHP 8)

PHP 8 introduced a new match expression that is similar to switch but with the shorter syntax and these differences:

  • doesn't require break statements
  • combine conditions using a comma
  • returns a value
  • has strict type comparisons
  • requires the comparison to be exhaustive (if no match is found, a UnhandledMatchError will be thrown)

Example:

match ($value) {
  0 => '0',
  1, 2 => "1 or 2",
  default => "3",
}
3
  • Although this is correct, it's actually irrelevant to the question. switch already provides for a more than one way to accomplish what the OP wants.
    – yivi
    Commented Dec 31, 2021 at 7:49
  • 4
    That said, this page represents a great opportunity to promote a fantastic, modern, alternative feature in PHP. Commented Dec 31, 2021 at 8:16
  • +1 for reminding me about this, it's crazy how much more concise match is compared to both if-else and switch. Commented Nov 18, 2023 at 23:06
2

Note that you can also use a closure to assign the result of a switch (using early returns) to a variable:

$otherVar = (static function($value) {
    switch ($value) {
        case 0:
            return 4;
        case 1:
            return 6;
        case 2:
        case 3:
            return 5;
        default:
            return null;
    }
})($i);

Of course this way to do is obsolete as it is exactly the purpose of the new PHP 8 match function as indicated in _dom93 answer.

1

Use this code:

switch($a) {
    case 1:
    case 2:
        .......
        .......
        .......
        break;
}

The block is called for both 1 and 2.

0
switch ($value) 
{
   case 1:
   case 2:
      echo 'the value is either 1 or 2';
   break;
}
-2

http://php.net/manual/en/control-structures.switch.php Example

$today = date("D");

    switch($today){

        case "Mon":

        case "Tue":

            echo "Today is Tuesday or Monday. Buy some food.";

            break;

        case "Wed":

            echo "Today is Wednesday. Visit a doctor.";

            break;

        case "Thu":

            echo "Today is Thursday. Repair your car.";

            break;

        default:

            echo "No information available for that day.";

            break;

    }
1
  • 1
    A default case does not need a break. Commented Dec 31, 2021 at 8:18
-4

The best way might be if else with requesting. Also, this can be easier and clear to use.

Example:

<?php 
$go = $_REQUEST['go'];
?>
<?php if ($go == 'general_information'){?>
<div>
echo "hello";
}?>

Instead of using the functions that won't work well with PHP, especially when you have PHP in HTML.

1