Alternate Colon Syntax
If you're like me, you must be still figuring out the best way to indent your PHP control structures like if(), for(), while(), foreach() and even switch()!
The 2 popular PHP control structure 'styles'
The 2 most common styles used in many PHP scripts I have seen are:
<?php
/* STYLE I */
// What everybody seems to prefer
// ------------------------------
if( $a>=10000 ) {
echo 'Too much!';
}
elseif( $a<=5000 ) {
echo 'Too little!';
}
else {
echo 'Just nice!';
}
/* STYLE II */
// What I personally USED to prefer
// --------------------------------
if( $a>=10000 )
{
echo 'Too much!';
}
elseif( $a<=5000 )
{
echo 'Too little!';
}
else
{
echo 'Just nice!';
}
?>
The point here is that we usually use the curly braces to help 'control' our PHP control structures but this is no longer necessary... well, at least for me!
Style 3: Alternative syntax for control structures
One day recently, I was reading the PHP Manual and came across this interesting piece of information that I never knew about previously - it's about using the colon ( : ) and the appropriate keyword where you would normally place your opening and closing curly braces.
The following code will quickly show you what I mean:
<?php
// IF() sample
// --------------------------------
if( $a>=10000 ): // note the colon
echo 'Too much... ';
echo 'you\'re too kind!';
elseif( $a<=5000 ): // here too
echo 'Too little... ';
echo 'I think you need it more than me!';
else: // yet again
echo 'Just nice... ';
echo 'I\'ll put you on my Christmas list!';
endif; // the keyword!
// FOR() sample
// --------------------------------
for( $i=1; $i<11; $i++ ):
echo 'Number '.$i;
endfor;
?>
The appropriate keywords
Here are the keywords for the following control structures:
CS | (ending) KEYWORD ----------|----------------- if() | endif for() | endfor while() | endwhile foreach()| endforeach switch() | endswitch
