I am having some issues with empty(). On my page I have a text area: <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="680"> <tr> <td width="600" align="center"><span class="inputlbl">Comments: <textarea name="comments" tabindex="39" rows="3" cols="45" wrap="soft"></textarea> </span> </td> </tr> </table> I then submit my page and on the following page I put the posted value into two variables. $comments = strtoupper($_POST['comments']); $check_comments = $_POST['comments']; I made two variables for the same posted value because I believe empty() does not work with strtoupper in front of the value. It only works with a standalone variable, correct? So, once I have assigned my comments to a variable I am doing: if(!empty($check_comments)) { echo "Do Something"; } However, if the comments textarea is left blank I just get a generic error "Changed database context to database" I've tried the below and get the same result: if($check_comments != "") { echo "Do Something"; } When comments is left blank and I echo out the value for $check_comments it returns nothing at all which is why I think empty() or "" should work, but they don't. Ideas?