Inline Ternary Operator Not Working

Question

For some reason my ternary operator assignment isn't work for the second part of my array. Anyone see what I'm doing wrong? Its supposed to just see if there is a value for the permalink field and if there isn't then insert the link_url into the array.

function getSiteMap()
{
    $this->db->select('site_menu_structures_links.id, site_menu_structures_links.link_name');
    $this->db->from('site_menu_structures_links');
    $this->db->where('site_menu_structures_links.status_id', 1); 
    $this->db->where('site_menu_structures_links.is_category', 'Yes'); 
    $this->db->order_by('site_menu_structures_links.sort_order'); 
    $catQuery = $this->db->get();

    if ($catQuery->num_rows())
    {
        foreach ($catQuery->result() as $cats)
        {
            // Set the Main Category into the array
            $testArray[$cats->id] = array(
                'id'   => $cats->id,
                'name' =>$cats->link_name
            );

            $this->db->select('site_content_pages.permalink, site_menu_structures_links_children.id, site_menu_structures_links_children.link_url, site_menu_structures_links_children.link_name');
            $this->db->from('site_menu_structures_links_children');
            $this->db->join('site_content_pages', 'site_content_pages.id = site_menu_structures_links_children.site_content_pages_id');
            $this->db->where('site_menu_structures_links_id', $cats->id); 
            $this->db->where('site_menu_structures_links_children.status_id', 1);  
            $this->db->order_by('site_menu_structures_links_children.sort_order'); 
            $childrenQuery = $this->db->get();



            if ($childrenQuery->num_rows())
            {
                foreach ($childrenQuery->result() as $child)
                {
                    $testArray[$cats->id]['children'][$child->id] = array(
                        'linke_url' => (empty($child->permalink)) ? $child->link_url : $child->permalink,
                        'link_name' => $child->link_name,
                    );
                }
            }
        }
    }

    return $testArray;
}

EDIT:

Also not that there should be 3 items inside the Social Array and its not saying there is. I'm wondering if it has something to do with that join. Here's my output:

Array
(
[2] => Array
    (
        [id] => 2
        [name] => Roster
        [children] => Array
            (
                [1] => Array
                    (
                        [linke_url] => 
                        [link_name] => Superstars
                    )

                [2] => Array
                    (
                        [linke_url] => 
                        [link_name] => Champions and Contenders
                    )

                [3] => Array
                    (
                        [linke_url] => 
                        [link_name] => Title History
                    )

            )

    )

[3] => Array
    (
        [id] => 3
        [name] => Events
        [children] => Array
            (
                [4] => Array
                    (
                        [linke_url] => 
                        [link_name] => Preview Next Event
                    )

                [5] => Array
                    (
                        [linke_url] => 
                        [link_name] => Latest Event Results
                    )

                [6] => Array
                    (
                        [linke_url] => 
                        [link_name] => Event Archives
                    )

                [7] => Array
                    (
                        [linke_url] => 
                        [link_name] => Schedule An Event
                    )

            )

    )

[4] => Array
    (
        [id] => 4
        [name] => Media
        [children] => Array
            (
                [8] => Array
                    (
                        [linke_url] => 
                        [link_name] => Photo Gallery
                    )

            )

    )

[5] => Array
    (
        [id] => 5
        [name] => Social
    )

 )

Answer 1

You have:

'linke_url' => (empty($child->permalink)) ? $child->link_url : $child->permalink,

I'll assume you meant 'link_url' and not 'linke_url', so it looks like you're trying to do:

If $child->permalink is empty, set 'link_url' to $child->link_url, but, if $child->permalink isn't empty, set 'link_url' to $child->permalink.

I would recommend using the shorthand version of the ternary operator ?: which is the form: $a = $b ?: $c which is the same as if $b evaluates to true, i.e. if $b has any value, $a = $b, otherwise $a = $c. For you:

'link_url' => $child->permalink ?: $child->link_url

If $child->permalink has a value, that will be used, otherwise, the value of $child->link_url will be used. Good luck!