elseif/else if
"omg alternate syntax makes it soo easy to figure ending to code blocks, no more figuring out closing }'s etc.. blahblah BLAH"
You know... indenting and putting a comment after the closing } like a good coder should, accomplishes the same thing...
if (a) {
if (b) {
...
} // end b
} // end a
Alternative syntax for control structures
PHP offers an alternative syntax for some of its control structures; namely, if, while, for, foreach, and switch. In each case, the basic form of the alternate syntax is to change the opening brace to a colon (:) and the closing brace to endif;, endwhile;, endfor;, endforeach;, or endswitch;, respectively.
<?php if ($a == 5): ?>
A is equal to 5
<?php endif; ?>
In the above example, the HTML block "A is equal to 5" is nested within an if statement written in the alternative syntax. The HTML block would be displayed only if $a is equal to 5.
The alternative syntax applies to else and elseif as well. The following is an if structure with elseif and else in the alternative format:
<?php
if ($a == 5):
echo "a equals 5";
echo "...";
elseif ($a == 6):
echo "a equals 6";
echo "!!!";
else:
echo "a is neither 5 nor 6";
endif;
?>
add a note
User Contributed NotesAlternative syntax for control structures
crayonviolent at phpfreaks dot com
15-Aug-2009 10:42
15-Aug-2009 10:42
ej at iconcept dot fo
28-May-2009 08:30
28-May-2009 08:30
if statement in 1 line
<?php
$hour = 11;
print $foo = ($hour < 12) ? "Good morning!" : "Good afternoon!";
?>
return Good morning!
flyingmana
26-Mar-2009 05:43
26-Mar-2009 05:43
It seems to me, that many people think that
<?php if ($a == 5): ?>
A ist gleich 5
<?php endif; ?>
is only with alternate syntax possible, but
<?php if ($a == 5){ ?>
A ist gleich 5
<?php }; ?>
is also possible.
alternate syntax makes the code only clearer and easyer to read
SM
04-Feb-2009 09:12
04-Feb-2009 09:12
The control structure should be like in BASIC languages:
<?php
if ($a == 12):
echo "a is 12\n";
end if;
while (true):
echo "loop loop loop\n";
end while;
?>
or just use end operator like in Ruby
<?php
if ($a == 12):
echo "a is 12\n";
end;
while (true):
echo "loop loop loop\n";
end;
?>
mido_alone2001 at yahoo dot com
07-Nov-2008 10:05
07-Nov-2008 10:05
Hello , when you going to make a script , you must try easist way to do and fastest way to parse ..
using alternative-syntax is very useful to shorten your code
e.g :
If you want to do:
<?php
$a=1 ;
if ($a==1) {
echo "<table border=1><tr><td>$a is equal to one </td></tr></table> " ;
}
?>
You can do it using alternative-syntax as following :
<?php
$a=1 ;
if ($a==1) :?>
<table border=1><tr><td><?echo $a ;?> is equal to one </td></tr></table>
<?php endif ; ?>
So the HTML code Won't excuted until the condition is true
[EDIT BY danbrown AT php DOT net: Contains a bug fix provided by (gmdebby AT gmail DOT com).]
jeremia at gmx dot at
28-Jan-2008 10:52
28-Jan-2008 10:52
If you wan't to use the alternative syntax for switch statements this won't work:
<div>
<?php switch($variable): ?>
<?php case 1: ?>
<div>
Newspage
</div>
<?php break;?>
<?php case 2: ?>
</div>
Forum
<div>
<?php break;?>
<?php endswitch;?>
</div>
Instead you have to workaround like this:
<div>
<?php switch($variable):
case 1: ?>
<div>
Newspage
</div>
<?php break;?>
<?php case 2: ?>
</div>
Forum
<div>
<?php break;?>
<?php endswitch;?>
</div>
spa
17-Oct-2007 07:40
17-Oct-2007 07:40
[EDITOR'S NOTE: reference to deleted note removed]
The end_; structure sometimes makes it easier to tell which block statement end you are looking at. It's much harder to tell which nested block a } belongs to than an end_;
skippy at zuavra dot net
27-Jun-2005 07:32
27-Jun-2005 07:32
If it needs saying, this alternative syntax is excellent for improving legibility (for both PHP and HTML!) in situations where you have a mix of them.
Interface templates are very often in need of this, especially since the PHP code in them is usually written by one person (who is more of a programmer) and the HTML gets modified by another person (who is more of a web designer). Clear separation in such cases is extremely useful.
See the default templates that come with WordPress 1.5+ (www.wordpress.org) for practical and smart examples of this alternative syntax.