A better PHP switch command - php

Question

In pick basic there is a case command which functions similar to the switch command basically doing nested if then else commands. The code is like this:
begin case
case a=4;do something
case b=5 or c=6;do something
case y=x and f=z;do something
case 1;do something
end case
if any of the conditions are true, it falls into that case. I know PHP has the switch command, but that is limited to the value of one variable. Is there a way to code the above in PHP or javascript for that matter without a bunch of if then else commands similar to the above?

Answer 1

If you really don't want to use if/else, then switch (true) can work:
switch (true) {
case ($a === 4):
doSomething();
break;
case ($b === 5 || $c === 6):
doSomething();
break;
case ($y === $x || $f === $z):
doSomething();
break;
default:
break;
}
However, it is less typing, and it makes your code more readable, if you simply use if/else instead, just as Shomz suggested. I really wouldn't recommend using switch (true).

Answer 2

Replacing case with else if is only 3 bytes longer, I don't see the big deal because that is exactly what the if/else is for. Switches are used for single variables, as you said.
Your do something could also include a result variable or a flag that will be set if any of the conditions are met.
So this:
begin case
case a=4;do something
case b=5 or c=6;do something
case y=x and f=z;do something
case 1;do something
end case
could be:
var case = false;
if (a==4) {dosomething(); case = true}
else if (b==5 || c==6) {dosomething(); case = true}
else if (y==z || f==z) {dosomething(); case = true}
else if (1) {dosomething(); case = true} // supposedly the default case?