PHP: what does a double assignment look like in longform?

Question

I wasn't even sure how to Google this. How would this PHP statement be written longform?

$recentlyViewed = $products = $this->getRecentlyViewedProducts();

Optimizations like this make experts feel smart, and beginners feel really stupid. I'm pretty sure I understand what the outcome is, but maybe I'm wrong.

A: Is this equivalent?

$products = $this->getRecentlyViewedProducts();
$recentlyViewed = ($products) ? true : false;

B: Is this equivalent?

$products = $this->getRecentlyViewedProducts();
$recentlyViewed = $products;

Which is right?

Via Twitter, seems B is equivalent.

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Write glaringly simple code. Don't be clever.

Answer 1

$recentlyViewed = $products = $this->getRecentlyViewedProducts();

And

$products = $this->getRecentlyViewedProducts();
$recentlyViewed = ($products) ? true : false;

I think this is equivalent:

Nope its not equivalent.

Let's see the difference

$recentlyViewed = $products = range(1,10);

So if you print_r then the value'll be

print_r($recentlyViewed);
print_r($products);

This'll print two arrays from [1,2,3,....10] but the

$products = range(1,10);
$recentlyViewed = ($products) ? true : false;

So if you print the $products and $recentlyViewed then the result will be the first'll print an array and the other one'll print 1.

So whats the equivalent of

$recentlyViewed = $products = $this->getRecentlyViewedProducts();

will be

$products = $this->getRecentlyViewedProducts();
$recentlyViewed = $products;

Demo