foreach with empty data set - php

Question

I am trying to use a foreach statement to display a list ul>li. In case the list has no elements how can i handle that criteria.
<ul>
<?php foreach($person['CastsMovie'] as $cast): ?>
<li><?php echo $this->Html->link($cast['Movie']['name'], array('controller' => 'movies', 'action' => 'view', $cast['movie_id'], 'admin' => true), array('escape' => false)); ?> (<?php echo date("Y", strtotime($cast['Movie']['MovieDetail']['release_date'])); ?>)</li>
<?php endforeach; ?>
</ul>

Answer 1

Check whether it is empty or not:
if ( !empty( $person ) ) {
foreach ( $person as $cast ) {
echo "<li>$cast</li>";
}
} else {
echo "<li>This play has no cast members.</li>";
}

Answer 2

Actually, you need to surround the UL with a check.
Otherwise you end up with an empty "ul" tag which is unnecessary:
<?php if (!empty($person['CastsMovie'])) { ?>
<ul>
<?php foreach($person['CastsMovie'] as $cast) { ?>
<li><?php echo $this->Html->link($cast['Movie']['name'], array('controller' => 'movies', 'action' => 'view', $cast['movie_id'], 'admin' => true), array('escape' => false)); ?> (<?php echo date("Y", strtotime($cast['Movie']['MovieDetail']['release_date'])); ?>)</li>
<?php } ?>
</ul>
<?php } ?>
this means: you check if there are any list elements (in your case CastsMovies to this person) and if so you display the list (ul + li). if not the complete list will be omitted (not just the child li elements).

Answer 3

FIRST, in whatever "controller" you are using, prepare your data, to make it fit for the template.
foreach($person['CastsMovie'] as $key => $cast) {
$cast['html_link'] = $this->Html->link($cast['Movie']['name'],
array('controller' => 'movies',
'action' => 'view',
$cast['movie_id'],
'admin' => true),
array('escape' => false)
);
$cast['html_date'] = date("Y", strtotime($cast['Movie']['MovieDetail']['release_date']));
$person['CastsMovie'][$key] = $cast;
}
Then make your template a sane and readable
<?php if($person['CastsMovie']: ?>
<ul>
<?php foreach($person['CastsMovie'] as $cast): ?>
<li>
<?=$cast['html_link']?> (<?=$cast['html_date']?>)
</li>
<?php endforeach ?>
</ul>
<?php endif ?>