Re: Couple of beginner questions

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On Sat, Jan 10, 2009 at 09:46:14AM -0500, tedd wrote:

> At 8:48 AM -0500 1/10/09, Gary wrote:
>> Looks like a great link, thank you.
>>
>> But am I to understand that all I need to do is change the extention on a
>> file to php from html for all to be right with the world?
>
> Yup.
>
> By changing the suffix (extension), you are telling the server that
> this file is to be treated differently than a html file. As such, the
> php interpreter will process the file before it is sent to the
> browser.
>
> A statement like:
>
> <?php echo('Hello'); ?>
>
> Will print "Hello" to the browser. In fact, the browser will never
> see your php code unless you make a mistake. The file will be
> processed and delivered to the browser as html.
>
> Please note that my use of echo above does not require the (), that's
> a habit I practice for no good reason whatsoever other than I like
> it. I think it's because I'm dyslectic and it makes sense to me.
>
> In any event, I would consider the following"bad practice":
>
> <?php echo('<h1>Hello</h1>'); ?>
>
> Whereas, the following I would consider "good practice".
>
> <h1><?php echo('Hello'); ?></h1>
>
> As best as you can, try to keep php and html separate.
>
> I know that some have different ideas on "good/bad" practices, but
> you'll develop your own views/habits as you grow and learn.

And let me present an alternative perspective. Never do something like:

<?php echo 'Hellow world'; ?>

Let Apache (or whatever) interpret HTML as HTML, and don't make it
interpret PHP code as HTML.

Instead, do:

<h1>Hello world</h1>

If you're going to use PHP in the middle of a bunch of HTML, then only
use it where it's needed:

<h1>Hello <?php echo $name; ?></h1>

The contents of the PHP $name variable can't be seen by the HTML, which
is why you need to enclose it in a little PHP "island". Naturally, if
you're going to put PHP code in the middle of a HTML page, make the
extension PHP. Otherwise, Apache will not interpret the PHP code as PHP
(unless you do some messing with .htaccess or whatever). It's just
simplest to call a file something.php if it has PHP in it.

Paul
-- 
Paul M. Foster

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