- var_export: documentation ( source)
<?php
$xml = new SimpleXMLElement('<tag thing="true"></tag>');
echo 'An empty SimpleXMLElement is ';
var_export((bool) $xml);
echo "\n";
$xml = new SimpleXMLElement('<tag>data</tag>');
echo 'A SimpleXMLElement with data is ';
var_export((bool) $xml);
echo "\n";
$obj = new stdClass();
echo 'An empty stdClass is ';
var_export((bool) $obj);