(PHP 4 >= 4.0.6, PHP 5, PHP 7)
is_callable — Verify that the contents of a variable can be called as a function
Verify that the contents of a variable can be called as a function. This can check that a simple variable contains the name of a valid function, or that an array contains a properly encoded object and function name.
varThe value to check
syntax_only
       If set to TRUE the function only verifies that
       name might be a function or method. It will only
       reject simple variables that are not strings, or an array that does
       not have a valid structure to be used as a callback. The valid ones
       are supposed to have only 2 entries, the first of which is an object
       or a string, and the second a string.
      
callable_nameReceives the "callable name". In the example below it is "someClass::someMethod". Note, however, that despite the implication that someClass::SomeMethod() is a callable static method, this is not the case.
   Returns TRUE if var is callable, FALSE 
   otherwise.
  
Example #1 is_callable() example
<?php
//  How to check a variable to see if it can be called
//  as a function.
//
//  Simple variable containing a function
//
function someFunction() 
{
}
$functionVariable = 'someFunction';
var_dump(is_callable($functionVariable, false, $callable_name));  // bool(true)
echo $callable_name, "\n";  // someFunction
//
//  Array containing a method
//
class someClass {
  function someMethod() 
  {
  }
}
$anObject = new someClass();
$methodVariable = array($anObject, 'someMethod');
var_dump(is_callable($methodVariable, true, $callable_name));  //  bool(true)
echo $callable_name, "\n";  //  someClass::someMethod
?>