<?PHP

public function myMethod()
{
return 'test';
}

public function myOtherMethod()
{
return null;
}

if($val = $this->;myMethod())
{
 // $val might be 1 instead of the expected 'test'
}

if( ($val = $this->myMethod()) )
{
// Now $val should be 'test'
}

// or to check for false
if( !($val = $this->myMethod()) )
{
// this will not run since $val = 'test' and equates to true
}

// this is an easy way to assign default value only if a value is not returned:

if( !($val = $this->myOtherMethod()) )
{
$val = 'default'
}

?>