php man page for variant_get_type

VARIANT_GET_TYPE(3)							 1						       VARIANT_GET_TYPE(3)

variant_get_type - Returns the type of a variant object

SYNOPSIS
       int variant_get_type (variant  $variant)

DESCRIPTION
	Returns the type of a variant object.

PARAMETERS
	      o $variant
		- The variant object.

RETURN VALUES
	This  function	returns  an  integer  value  that indicates the type of $variant, which can be an instance of "COM", "DOTNET" or "VARIANT"
       classes. The return value can be compared to one of the VT_XXX constants.

	The return value for COM and DOTNET objects will usually be VT_DISPATCH; the only reason this function works for those classes is  because
       COM and DOTNET are descendants of VARIANT.

	In  PHP versions prior to 5, you could obtain this information from instances of the VARIANT class ONLY, by reading a fake $type property.
       See the "VARIANT" class for more information on this.

PHP Documentation Group 												       VARIANT_GET_TYPE(3)