[RESOLVED] syntax error, unexpected T_STRING

[u-sit]

One line of code throws this error:
'syntax error, unexpected T_STRING'
it is...

fputs($fp1, "L382 \$frmpost = ".var_dump($frmpost)."\n");

when commented out, //, the code runs.

The immediately preceding code is ...

$frmpost = array(
'business' => "[e-mail]",
'payer_id' => 'TESTBUYERID02' ,
'item_name' => 'Book' ,
'mc_gross' => '',
'mc_fee' => '',
'amount' => $amount,
'invoice' => $invoiceNo,
'rm' => '2',
'charset' => 'utf-8',
'shippine' => '1',
'country' => $country,
'tax' => "0.00",
'first_name'=> $first_name ,
'last_name' => $last_name,
'email' => $email,
's_h' => $s_h
)

fputs($fp1, "L382 \$frmpost = ".var_dump($frmpost)."\n");[/QUOTE]

Any ideas?
u-sit

[bradgrafelman]

Missing semicolon from the $frmpost variable declaration.

Also note that [man]var_dump/man's return type is void, so not only should you not be trying to use its nonexistent return value, but note that this:

fputs($fp1, "L382 \$frmpost = ".var_dump($frmpost)."\n");

is going to give you nothing more than this:

L382 $frmpost =

every time (due to the aforementioned void return type).

EDIT: To resolve the second issue, either take a look at the 'Tip' in the manual for [man]var_dump/man or instead consider whether [man]print_r/man's output is useful enough for you (and note that it offers a second argument to instruct it to return its result rather than directly output it, unlike var_dump()).

[Derokorian]

There is also var_export() which has a second BOOL argument that switched direct output to return value.

[u-sit]

Good stuff bradgrafelman and Derokorian.
I've got a bit of reading to do on var_dumps and var_exports. Didn't know the latter existed. Been having trouble using var_dumps and hadn't yet figured out why.

Thanks a lot for the quick and useful responses
u-sit