identify the data type of a $value using gettype function

gettype.php

<?php
// identify the data type of a $value using gettype function
// http://php.net/manual/en/function.gettype.php

$json = file_get_contents("http://mikestratton.net/temp/bigdatabox/tweetjson_RAW.php"); 
$t_query  = json_decode($json,true); 
$name = $t_query ['statuses'][0]['user']['name'];
$screen = $t_query ['statuses'][0]['user']['screen_name']; 
$text = $t_query ['statuses'][0]['text']; 
$query = $t_query ['search_metadata']['query'];  
$j_name = json_decode($name,true);

// test for data type
echo gettype($json), " (json) <br/>";
echo gettype($t_query), " (t_query) <br/>";
echo gettype($name), " (name) <br/>";
echo gettype($screen), " (screen) <br/>";
echo gettype($text), " (text) <br/>";
echo gettype($query), " (query) <br/>";
echo gettype($j_name), " (j_name) <br/><br/>";
?>