if statement with is_active_sidebar()

Question

I found a code in my sidebar-content-bottom.php in the theme itself that I don't really understand.

if ( ! is_active_sidebar( 'sidebar-2' ) && ! is_active_sidebar( 'sidebar-3' ) ) {
return;}

I know that both conditions must be true that the if function activates

return;

But what does it return then? Two times true on the page?

janh · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-07 11:01:49Z

3

It doesn't return anything, it just jumps back out of the function.

That's basically "If this is neither sidebar-2 nor sidebar-3, don't continue in this function".

answered Feb 7, 2018 at 11:01

janh

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So is my assumption right that when this code exists in my php file: <?php if ( ! is_active_sidebar( 'sidebar-2' ) && ! is_active_sidebar( 'sidebar-3' ) ) { return;} ?> <aside>....</aside> That the html function after the if function "<aside>"is uneffected and I could just delete the if statement because it just does nothing?!
– Martin
Feb 7, 2018 at 11:07
No, or rather: not necessarily. As long as either of those two sidebars are active (that is: contain widgets), the function will execute as if those lines weren't there at all. If both sidebars are inactive, however, the code following that condition will not execute.
– janh
Feb 7, 2018 at 11:58
@Martin It sounds like your theme is not outputting the aside element if neither sidebar 2 or 3 has widgets in it.
– Jacob Peattie
Feb 7, 2018 at 12:23
It doesn't affect anything on my page when I delete the if function. That's why I was wondering about the function and what it does. In both cases everything worked fine. My question is therefore answered. Thanks guys!!!
– Martin
Feb 7, 2018 at 12:33
Probably because you have widgets in sidebars 2 & 3. If you remove them it will behave differently. It's not doing nothing
– Jacob Peattie
Feb 7, 2018 at 13:07

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