On Wed, 2009-10-28 at 16:29 +0000, Nick Cooper wrote: > 2009/10/28 Jim Lucas: > > Nick Cooper wrote: > >> Hi, > >> > >> I was just wondering what the difference/advantage of these two > >> methods of writing a string are: > >> > >> 1) $string = "foo{$bar}"; > >> > >> 2) $string = 'foo'.$bar; > >> > >> I always use method 2 but have been noticing method 1 more and more in > >> source code. Is this just user preference? > >> > >> I would use a generic search engine but not sure what the first method > >> is called so don't know where to begin my search. > >> > >> Thanks for any help. > >> > >> Nick > >> > > > > I think it is a matter of personal preference. I prefer method 1 myself. > > > > > > > > Thank you for the quick replies. I thought method 2 must be faster > because it doesn't have to search for variables in the string. > > So what is the advantages then of method 1 over 3, do the curly braces > mean anything? > > 1) $string = "foo{$bar}"; > > 2) $string = 'foo'.$bar; > > 3) $string = "foo$bar"; > > I must admit reading method 1 is easier, but writing method 2 is > quicker, is that the only purpose the curly braces serve? > This was on the list a few days back. Basically, the braces are there to force PHP to recognise the full variable name, so that you could type: $string = "{$foo}bar"; $string = "foo{$bar[0][1]}"; $string = "{$foo->bar}"; Thanks, Ash http://www.ashleysheridan.co.uk