- var_export: documentation ( source)
<?php
$int = 0;
echo 'is ', var_export($int, true), ' empty? ', var_export(empty($int)), "\n";
$str = (string)$int;
echo 'is ', var_export($str, true), ' empty? ', var_export(empty($str)), "\n";
$bool = (bool)$str;
echo 'is ', var_export($bool, true), ' empty? ', var_export(empty($bool)), "\n";