Posted by Peter Fox on 01/05/07 01:39

Following on from Michael's message. . .
>Hi,
>
>A quick and most likely simply question about which is generally better
>programming with PHP. Is it more proper to break out of PHP code to write
>HTML, or is it ok rto do it within print() statements? Such as...

Of course there is no 'best', 'best practice' or 'proper' [Hey will
posters /please/ stop asking for 'best practice'!]

Personally I _write in PHP_ and so print() everything. This gives you
the flexibility to stop hard-coding any time you please.

For example :
$address = "57 High St., Huddersfield"; // could be define()
print("You can visit us at $address Monday to Friday 9 - 5");

$address can be derived from an include/configuration file. This means
there is one more thing to go wrong at initial setup but it also means
that it can cope with moving premises AND setting up a second location
in a single place.

It also means that if you think 'objects' you can emit objectively (as
it were) rather than HTML-ing every instance.

This gets more serious when you want to mix and mingle with CSS. An
'Address' object might be used for printing postal address to a screen,
a postcode to a map URL or a company address for an invoice (using DX
for solicitors etc.).

And if you're ever thinking of internationalisation ...

--
PETER FOX Not the same since the statuette business went bust
peterfox@eminent.demon.co.uk.not.this.bit.no.html
2 Tees Close, Witham, Essex.
Gravity beer in Essex <http://www.eminent.demon.co.uk>

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