PHP Shorthand ternary operator "?:" Parse error unexpected ":"

This is only available since PHP 5.3

_{The expression (expr1) ? (expr2) : (expr3) evaluates to expr2 if expr1 evaluates to TRUE, and expr3 if expr1 evaluates to FALSE.}

Since PHP 5.3, it is possible to leave out the middle part of the ternary operator. Expression expr1 ?: expr3 returns expr1 if expr1 evaluates to TRUE, and expr3 otherwise.¹

See this example for more context.

or a more useful but note in the comments: http://www.php.net/manual/en/control-structures.if.php#102060

---

¹_{http://php.net/manual/en/language.operators.comparison.php}