Question: I have three variables:

```
$var1
$var2
$var3

```

I'm actually looking for the best way to check if **only one** of these three variables is not empty and the **two others** are empty.

Is that possible to do this with one `if` only? If not, then what's the best way?

The variables all contain text.

Answer: 
You can convert variable into array and exclude empty variables using `array_filter()`. Then use `count()` after the filter.

```
if(count(array_filter(array($var1,$var2,$var3)))==1){
  //only 1 variable is not empty
}

```

Check [Fiddle link](https://eval.in/642080)
```
$counter=0;
$counter+= empty($var1) ? 0:1;
$counter+= empty($var2) ? 0:1;
$counter+= empty($var3) ? 0:1;

if($counter==1)
   echo "Exactly 2 are empty";

```

**[Fiddle](https://eval.in/641962)**

Or you can simply do

```
var_dump(count(array_filter(array($var1,$var2,$var3)))==1);

```

**[Fiddle](https://eval.in/641979)**