How to update data if array is empty? - php

Question

I want to update empty array .So I check is empty and want to update the original variable.So I tried by & but it doesn't change empty array $array2 .I had tried many hours but not working!!!
<?php
$array1 = array('one','two','three');
$array2 = array();
$array3 = array ('four');
$array4 = array ('five','six');
check([&$array1,&$array2,&$array3,&$array4]);
function check($arr){
foreach ($arr as $k=>$value) {
if(empty($value)){
$arr[$k][] = "nothing";
return $arr[$k];
}
else{
return $arr[$k];
}
}
}
var_dump($array2);
//actual output : empty
//expect output : 0 => string 'nothing'
?>

Answer 1

Have a look following code.
$array1 = array('one','two','three');
$array2 = array();
$array3 = array ('four');
$array4 = array ('five','six');
$arr11=check([&$array1,&$array2,&$array3,&$array4]);
function check($arr){
foreach ($arr as $k=>$value) {
print_r($value);
if(empty($value)){
$arr[$k] = "nothing";
}
else{
$arr[$k];
}
}
return $arr;
}
print_r($arr11);
var_dump($array2);
//actual output : empty
//expect output : 0 => string 'nothing'
It will display following result.
Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[0] => one
[1] => two
[2] => three
)
[1] => nothing
[2] => Array
(
[0] => four
)
[3] => Array
(
[0] => five
[1] => six
)
)
string(7) "nothing"

Answer 2

This will work for you:
<?php
$array1 = array('one','two','three');
$array2 = array();
$array3 = array ('four');
$array4 = array ('five','six');
list($array1, $array2, $array3, $array4) = check([$array1,$array2,$array3,$array4]);
function check($arr){
foreach ($arr as $k => $value) {
if(empty($value)){
$arr[$k] = "nothing";
}
}
return $arr;
}
var_dump($array2);
//actual output : string(7) "nothing"
//expect output : string(7) "nothing"
?>
You've written your function very strangely, actually.
UPDATE. Output of other arrays instead of only one.
var_dump($array1, $array2, $array3, $array4);
array(3) {
[0]=>
string(3) "one"
[1]=>
string(3) "two"
[2]=>
string(5) "three"
}
string(7) "nothing"
array(1) {
[0]=>
string(4) "four"
}
array(2) {
[0]=>
string(4) "five"
[1]=>
string(3) "six"
}