'How to skip blank values of array when updating columns in the database

I'm a newbie in PHP. I would like to ask on how to skip blank values in an array when updating columns in the database. My code goes this:

$reference = $_POST['ref'];
$userDoc = $_POST['userDoc'];
$doc = array_filter($userDoc);
$ref = array_filter($reference);

for($j=0; $j<=sizeof($doc_ent);$j++){
$docu = $doc_ent[$j];
echo $ref[$j];
echo $doc[$j];

$update = sqlsrv_query($conn2, "update stock_picking_se set name = '$internal$ref[$j]', user_doc = '$doc[$j]' where doc_entry = '$docu'");

}

My checkbox which filter my data is:

checkbox1: a
checkbox2: (blank data)
checbox3:  b
checkbox4: (blank data)
checkbox5: c

But when I process, it updates the existing columns but keep inserting the blank value in an array, the result is:

column:

name                      user_doc

1                         a

(blank)                   (blank)

2                          b

note that $doc_ent is the the selected checkboxes. I want the result to insert in the column name 1,2,3 and in column user_doc a,b,c.



Solution 1:[1]

use empty();

empty — Determine whether a variable is empty

 if(!empty($reference) && !empty($userDoc)) { Put your query } . 

Solution 2:[2]

You have to put a condition:

if($reference != '' && $userDoc != '') { Put your query }

Then it automatically skips the blank fields.

Sources

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Source: Stack Overflow

Solution Source
Solution 1 underscore
Solution 2 vinzee