How to check if an array value exists?

You could use the PHP in_array function

if( in_array( "bla" ,$yourarray ) )
{
    echo "has bla";
}

Using: in_array()

$search_array = array('user_from','lucky_draw_id','prize_id');

if (in_array('prize_id', $search_array)) {
    echo "The 'prize_id' element is in the array";
}

Here is output: The 'prize_id' element is in the array

---

Using: array_key_exists()

$search_array = array('user_from','lucky_draw_id','prize_id');

if (array_key_exists('prize_id', $search_array)) {
    echo "The 'prize_id' element is in the array";
}

No output

---

In conclusion, array_key_exists() does not work with a simple array. Its only to find whether an array key exist or not. Use in_array() instead.

Here is more example:

<?php
/**++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 * 1. example with assoc array using in_array
 *
 * IMPORTANT NOTE: in_array is case-sensitive
 * in_array — Checks if a value exists in an array
 *
 * DOES NOT WORK FOR MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ARRAY
 *++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 */
$something = array('a' => 'bla', 'b' => 'omg');
if (in_array('omg', $something)) {
    echo "|1| The 'omg' value found in the assoc array ||";
}

/**++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 * 2. example with index array using in_array
 *
 * IMPORTANT NOTE: in_array is case-sensitive
 * in_array — Checks if a value exists in an array
 *
 * DOES NOT WORK FOR MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ARRAY
 *++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 */
$something = array('bla', 'omg');
if (in_array('omg', $something)) {
    echo "|2| The 'omg' value found in the index array ||";
}

/**++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 * 3. trying with array_search
 *
 * array_search — Searches the array for a given value 
 * and returns the corresponding key if successful
 *
 * DOES NOT WORK FOR MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ARRAY
 *++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 */
$something = array('a' => 'bla', 'b' => 'omg');
if (array_search('bla', $something)) {
    echo "|3| The 'bla' value found in the assoc array ||";
}

/**++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 * 4. trying with isset (fastest ever)
 *
 * isset — Determine if a variable is set and 
 * is not NULL
 *++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 */
$something = array('a' => 'bla', 'b' => 'omg');
if($something['a']=='bla'){
    echo "|4| Yeah!! 'bla' found in array ||";
}

/**
 * OUTPUT:
 * |1| The 'omg' element value found in the assoc array ||
 * |2| The 'omg' element value found in the index array ||
 * |3| The 'bla' element value found in the assoc array ||
 * |4| Yeah!! 'bla' found in array ||
 */
?>

Here is PHP DEMO

Using the instruction if?

if(isset($something['say']) && $something['say'] === 'bla') {
    // do something
}

By the way, you are assigning a value with the key say twice, hence your array will result in an array with only one value.

You can use:

• array_search()
• in_array()
• a combination of array_flip() and array_key_exists()