We are getting away from OP's question.

I apologize for evidently starting that diversion. That was not my intent.

Update:

The OP wants to simplify some series of "if" statements. My personal opinion about a "false" value is that it should be a "defined value". BUT, an undef can be used in the false sense in an "if" statement!! No problem!! This will work!!

If folks got the idea that I meant that "undef" did not equate to false, I certainly didn't mean that. As that is wrong! Undef will evaluate to "false".

I personally think that when you assign a "false" value to a $var that "false" value should be "defined". Valid false values are single quotes '', double quotes "" and 0 and YES, undef. Using a "defined value" has advantages like when you print that $var, you don't get a run time error "undefined $var".