Mingling PHP and HTML lession

Question

Hi, I am just watching this course and it's a lot of fun, but I have one observation on there, this is actually in next video, "Creating the Products Array" When creating your list of products, you used php tags 3 times, instead of that, wouldn't it just be easier and less confusing for users to write it this way: <?php foreach($products as $product) { echo "<li>{$product}</li>"; } ?> I know your solution is better when there is a big chunk of static HTML to display, but I personally want smack someone in the head when I get short code like that, that I have to work on.

One more observation about this forum. When I write in this message text area, I can't scroll up to see what I have already wrote, which would be really useful.

Answer 1 · 2013-08-23T12:11:00Z

August 23, 2013 12:11pm

Matej,

I believe you mean <?php foreach($products as $product) { echo $product; } ?>

Well, like you said the loop will look messy quickly when you insert more html elements. And most often you are going to display more html on a loop like this. (This code above should actually have <li> tags). I think it's a good idea to keep your for loop format consistent, big or small. I would personally smack the person who keep switching between different formats lol.

I first thought of <?php ?> tag as something that segregates a block of code from html. But once I learn other frameworks like wordpress and Ruby on Rails, I realize that when you mingle html and backend code, it's better to think of these tags, as tags. The code inside can be one line, partial line, one word, just like html tags. You should feel free to open and close them as much as you like to preserve the integrity of your code, both in terms of human coder readability and keeping it easy for future addition.

Answer 2 · 2013-08-23T12:16:29Z

August 23, 2013 12:16pm

Echoing out HTML tags with classes and IDs can get really messy. Take this code block, for example; it can be tricky to find the error here at first glance:

<?php

echo '<ul>';
foreach($products as $product) {
    echo '<li class="' . $class . '><a href="/shirt.php?id=" . $product["url"] . "'>" . $product["name"] . "</a></li>";
}
echo '</ul>';

?>

In a real project it's almost always best to mingle them together like I've explained in the video, opening up new PHP tags to get access to the variables:

<ul>
<?php foreach($products as $product) { ?>
    <li class="<?php echo $class; ?>"><a href="/shirt.php?id=<?php echo $product["url"]; ?>"><?php echo $product["name"]; ?></a></li>
<?php } ?>
</ul>

But I always recommend using the method that makes the code as easy as possible to read and maintain over time. When you are dealing with simple values, then putting it all in one code block might be best; but as you add HTML tags, then mingling them together like this might be best.

Does that help?

Answer 3 · 2013-08-23T16:56:08Z

August 23, 2013 4:56pm

I'm in the air about this subject. After perusing over some off our internal code, I noticed each and every developer seemingly has their own style. One developer is constant through and through. Although it made certain pieces of the process more complex, it was still legible. Then we have another developer that has a more dynamic approach, but almost haphazardly so. So if you're not going to remain consistent, at least be consistent with your inconsistency.

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Matej Kovac

Matej Kovac

Mingling PHP and HTML lession

3 Answers

Jah Chaisang

Jah Chaisang

Matej Kovac

Matej Kovac

Randy Hoyt

Randy Hoyt

Matej Kovac

Matej Kovac

Randy Hoyt

Randy Hoyt

Michael O'Malley

Michael O'Malley