why "?" tag doesn't work for php

maulikpatel

Hi Experts,

I have readymade scripts for Shopping Cart.

but they use

instead of

<?php

and php on my apache 2 (on RH linux 8)
doesn't work with <?

i have to manually convert all <? to <?php

is there any configuration change that i can make in either php.ini or httpd.conf so that <? as well as <?php works ?

thanks.

laserlight

enable short tags in php.ini
but then it might conflict with XML tags so dont bother.

maulikpatel

thanks laserlight,

but is there any other solution ?

FrozNic

enabling short tags is the only way i know how...

matt_4013

It's the only way.

laserlight

Actually, there could be other ways, but changing php.ini would be the simplest.

Read http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.basic-syntax.php
for the basics

matt_4013

Quoting the manual 😉

The first way, <?php. . .?>, is the preferred method, as it allows the use of PHP in XML-conformant code such as XHTML.

The second way is not available always. Short tags are available only when they have been enabled. This can be done via the short_tags() function (PHP 3 only), by enabling the short_open_tag configuration setting in the PHP config file, or by compiling PHP with the --enable-short-tags option to configure. Even if it is enabled by default in php.ini-dist, use of short tags are discouraged.

You're right laserlight, sorry, my wording was incorrect. What I meant was that you can't do it in your script.

jassh

err.. just an old school method that i always use..

how bout using any text editors, find and replace <? with <?php
that would probably work...
i'm sure its sound like manual.. but it's semi-automatic actually 🙂

i wont dare to suggest changing anything in PHP.INI
coz, well, first, i'm a noob.. and second.. i like things default..

just a thought..

cheers;

-jassh

laserlight

well that is the method he is using now, since he is 'manually' converting with some text editor instead of PHP recognizing the short tags.

khaine

maulikpatel,

seen as you are using linux have a look at sed you can run it from a command line and get it to replace all the <? in one go.

Mark.

stolzyboy

yeah just like a search and replace in a text editor

search for

replace with

<?php