empty() does not work when passing data from an object. Why? - php

Question

I just discovered that empty() does not work when passing data from an object. Why is that?
This is my code:
// This works
$description = $store->description;
if (!empty($description) )
echo $description;
//This is not working
if (!empty($store->description) )
echo $store->description;
UPDATE
Added extra code for context.
// At the top of my PHP file I have this code
$store = Factory::new_store_obj($id);
// To controll that I got content, I can test by printing object
echo '<pre>';
print_r($store);
echo '</pre>';
//output
Store Object
(
[data:Store:private] => Array
(
[name] => Lacrosse
[street1] => Bygdøy Allé 54
[street2] =>
[zipcode] => 0265
[city] => Oslo
[country] => Norway
[phone] => 22441100
[fax] =>
[email] =>
[opening_hours] =>
[keywords] =>
[description] => Lacrosse er en bla bla bla...
)
)

Answer 1

You should read the docs for empty(). There is an explanation of why empty might fail in the comments.
For example you will get this error if description is a private property, you have set up a magic __get function without the magic __isset function.
So this will fail:
class MyClass {
private $foo = 'foo';
public function __get($var) { return $this->$var; }
}
$inst = new MyClass;
if(empty($inst->foo))
{
print "empty";
}
else
{
print "full";
}
and this will succeed:
class MyClass {
private $foo = 'foo';
public function __get($var) { return $this->$var; }
public function __isset($var) { return isset($this->$var); }
}
$inst = new MyClass;
if(empty($inst->foo))
{
print "empty";
}
else
{
print "full";
}

Answer 2

input:
<?php
$item->description = "testme";
$description = $item->description;
if (!empty($description) )
echo $description;
//This is not working
if (!empty($item->description) )
echo $item->description;
?>
output
testmetestme
conclusion: it works

Answer 3

I tried this:
class test {
private $var = '';
public function doit() {
echo (empty($this->var)) ? 'empty' : 'not';
echo '<br>';
var_dump($this->var);
}
}
$t = new test;
$t->doit();
It outputs: empty, string(0) "". This means that it works. Try it your self if you want. It must be the class context not working.