function ql_widget( $widget, $widget_name, $element = 'sider' ){

    if ( $widget ) { // widget name passed ##

        // check if widget is active - return html & widget content if true ##
        if ( is_active_sidebar( $widget ) ) {

        echo '
        <div class="'.$element.'">';

            dynamic_sidebar( $widget );

         echo '</div>';

        } else {

            // issue error if requested widget does not exist or is empty ##
            if ( ql_user_is_administator() ) { // user is admin ##

                if ( dynamic_sidebar( $widget ) ) { // empty ##

                    $message = 'empty';

                } else { // widget ID or name wrong ##

                    $message = 'error';

                }

?>
                <div class="error"><strong>Widget <?php echo $message; ?>:</strong>
                <?php echo $widget_name ? $widget_name : $widget ; ?></div>
<?php


            }
        }
    }
}

// load widget ##
// widget_id, widget name, class of containing element ##
ql_widget( 'sidebar-general', 'Standard Sidebar', 'sider' );

if ( is_active_sidebar( $sidebar ) ) {
    // Display some text
} else {
    // Display none
};

function ql_widget( $widget, $widget_name, $element = 'sider' ){

    if ( $widget ) {

        $message = (ql_user_is_administator() ? 'empty' : 'error');
        $widget_name = ($widget_name ? $widget_name : $widget);

        if ( is_active_sidebar( $widget ) ) {

            $html  = '<div class="'.$element.'">';
            $html .= dynamic_sidebar( $widget );
            $html .= '</div>';
            echo $html;

        } else {

            $html  = '<div class="error"><strong>Widget ';
            $html .= $message;
            $html .= '</strong> ';
            $html .= $widget_name;
            $html .= '</div>';
            echo $html;

        }
    }
} // This is the end of the function