if statement executing html

np212

I was wondering if there is a better method for outputting html than echoing it all. For example

if(isset($add)){

echo("<form action=xx>");
echo("<input type=text ....">;

}

Think i have seen somewhere something like this

if(isset($add)):

?>
<form action=xxx>
<input type= name= value=>
<input type=submit>
</form>

However I don't think that is possible if you want to set some variables within the if statement to use in the form.

<?php
if(isset($add)):
//Database query
//Set some variables from the results
?>

html form

Anyone have any idea what i'm going on about??

Thanks

Nick

hmemnon

Separating html from php is the way to go.
You can, and should open php tags (for scripting purposes or echoing vars) and close them when you need to output raw html.

<?
//some mysql query
while($result=mysql_fetch_array($somequery)){
?>
<td>My name:</td><td><? echo $result['myname'];?></td>

Something like the above.
Hope you get it...

Cheers

Installer

<?php // Never use short open tags
//some mysql query 
while ($result = mysql_fetch_array($somequery)) { 
    echo '<td>My name: </td><td>' . $result['myname'] . '</td>';
?>

np212

I supose my question really was what's the best method of printing a form if a variable is set. Should it just be echoed or is there a better method? I understand for a while loop echoing is beneficial, just forms can get fairly large.

Thanks

wilku

You can try something like this:

<?php
//your variables setting, reading from database and all the functions
echo <<<THEEND
<form>
You don't need to escape " characters in here, you can use any $variable and
 $array[key] as well. Notice that with
 arrays you don't use quotation marks for keys.
On the other hand you can't  use functions here.
</form>
THEEND;
//other functions
?>

Huuggee

jumping in and out of php for html is quicker to parse than echo and print statements. probably not so you'd notice unless you had a huge old script, but it is.

so the best method is as above...

<? php statement ?>
html o/p <? echo $variable ?> more html etc..

Installer

lol