I have start and end dates which are stored in a database in this format: start date= 20121004 //4th October 2012 end date= 20121004 //16th November 2012 so I can use date format: $date = date("Ymd"); // returns: 20121004 to determine when to display and not display to repopulate my update input boxes I use: $start=(str_split($stdate,4));// START DATE: splits stored date into 2x4 ie: 20121209 = 2012 1209 $syr = $start[0];// re first half ie: 2012 which is the year $start2 = $start[1];//re second half ie: 1209 $start3=(str_split($start2,2));// splits second half date into 2x2 ie: 1209 = 12 09 $smth = $start3[0]; // first half = month ie: 12 $sday = $start3[1]; // second half = day ie: 09 $expiry=(str_split($exdate,4)); ///SAME AGAIN FOR EXPIRY DATE ... $xyr = $expiry[0]; $expiry2 = $expiry[1]; $expiry3=(str_split($expiry2,2)); $xmth = $expiry3[0]; $xday = $expiry3[1]; which works fine but I need to repopulate the input boxes for the month showing the date in the database like this <option value="01">January</option`> using if ($smth==01):$month='January'; endif; if ($xmth==01):$month='January'; endif; // if the start and/or expiry month number = 01 display $month as January if ($smth==02):$smonth='February'; endif; if ($xmth==02):$smonth='February'; endif; if ($smth==03):$month='March'; endif; <select name="stmonth" class="input"> <option value="<?=$smth?>"><?=$month?></option> ... </select> is there an easier way to display IF EITHER ONE EQUALS rather than having to write the same line twice once for each $smth AND $xmth ? re: if ($smth **and or** $xmth ==01):$month='January'; endif;