PHP operator (?) question, The @ symbol Options

[*mipadi*]

Question for people who are more knowledgeable about PHP than I:

I've been looking through some source code in an effort to update/modify a script, and I've run into a @ being prepended to some functions. What exactly is the purpose of this operator (if it is an operator)? Below are some examples of the code in question (note they are just pieces of code and don't actually go together):

if (@phpversion() < '4.0.0')
@reset($test)
if (@ini_get('register_globals')

I'm wondering if it has something to do with the value returned (much like how you use the & operator to pass by reference instead of value) but I'm not sure. Anyone know this one?

[hlall]

it turns off error reporting for that function.

[*mipadi*]

Ah, right... I think I had learned that somewhere, but never actually used it. Thanks!

[hlall]

your welcome.

oh and a common use for this is with mysql.

$connect = @mysql_connect("","","");
$db = @mysql_select_db("");
if(!$connect){
die("Problem connecting to database");
}
if($connect && !$db){
die("Problem selecting database");
}


this way the errors are more friendly. there are also functions to display the mysql error.

i assume this thread can be closed :)

[*mipadi*]

Oh, okay. Well, I wrote my own function for handling MySQL errors, but this is good to know now.