count of false gives 1 and if of an empty array gives false. why?

I have a function which returns only one row as array. I give a query as a parameter which will exactly gives only one row. ``` function getFields($query) { $t =& get_instance(); $ret = $t->db->query($query); if(!$ret)return false; else if(!$ret->num_rows()) return array(); else return $ret->row_array(); } $ret = getFields('query string'); ``` What i thought was ... - if there is an error then i can check it like if(!$res)//echo error - if it is empty i can check it like if(!count($res))// no rows - else i assume that there is a row and continue the process... BUT - when there is an error false is returned. In if(count($ret)) gives 1. - If($ret) conditions fails (gives false) if i return as empty array. // ``` $ret = getFields('query string'); if(!$fes)jerror('status,0,msg,dberror'); if(!count($fes))jerror('status,1,msg,no rows'); // continue execution when there atleast one row. ``` this code is called using ajax. so i return a json response. why count gives 1 and if empty array gives false. i just wanted to code with logical conditions instead of giving more relations conditions. just to reduce code. Where can i get all these BUGGING stuff of php so that i can make sure i should not end up making logical errors like the above. BUGGING - in the above sentence bugging i referred as not a bug but things bugs us. things which makes us logical errors. I edited this following code to include the following meanwhile i got this as the reply by https://stackoverflow.com/users/451672/andrew-dunn i can do it like this but still i want to know why for the above explanation ``` if($fes===false)jerror(); if(!$fes)jsuccess('status,4'); ```