Posted by Jerry Stuckle on 05/28/07 18:46

Michael wrote:
> On May 28, 10:05 am, "Jon Slaughter" <Jon_Slaugh...@Hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>> "Michael" <MichaelDMcDonn...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:1180370371.580860.72150@x35g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On May 28, 9:24 am, Darko <darko.maksimo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On May 28, 6:09 pm, "Jon Slaughter" <Jon_Slaugh...@Hotmail.com> wrote:>
>>>> "Michael" <MichaelDMcDonn...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>>>> news:1180368213.786423.310320@z28g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
>>>>>> Since the include function is called from within a PHP script, why
>>>>>> does the included file have to identify itself as a PHP again by
>>>>>> enclosing its code in <?php> ... <?>
>>>>>> One would assume that the PHP interpreter works like any other, that
>>>>>> is, it first expands all the include files, and then parses the
>>>>>> resulting text. Can anyone help with an explanation?
>>>> It's not supposed to be bracketed by <?php> and <?>, but by <?php
>>>> and ?
>>>>> . That's not necessary, though. You have to put those symbols into
>>>> your require-d file if you want it to be understood like php code, but
>>>> if you don't, it will be understood as raw output. Just like any other
>>>> php file:
>>>> <?php
>>>> if ( $x ) {
>>>> ?>
>>>> some output here
>>>> some output here
>>>> some output here
>>>> <?php
>>>> } else {
>>>> ?>
>>>> some other output here
>>>> some other output here
>>>> some other output here
>>>> <?php
>>>> }
>>>> ?>
>>>> As for the require-d file, the same counts - if you didn't put <?php
>>>> and ?> surrounding the contents of the file, they would be understood
>>>> as ordinary output, not php code (which, of course, can be exactly
>>>> what we wanted).
>>>>> Because a php can contain other text such as html... the parser is only
>>>>> signaled to work on the block that is inside a the php tag...
>>>>> you ever wonder why <? php ?> looks like an html tag? cause it is!
>>>> I wouldn't go that far to say <?php and ?> are html tags, although
>>>> they do resemble them having lt and gt chars. Actually, the <? and ?>
>>>> are part of xml processing instruction declaration syntax, so when we
>>>> say "<?php" we say "give the following contents to php", and when we
>>>> say "?>", we actually say "those contents end here". So, php code is
>>>> actually organized as xml document, and html out of <?php ?>
>>>> instructions perfectly fits in that concept, being itself a subset of
>>>> xml, although older than xml.
>>> =====================
>>> I guess I'm still missing the point. Once the browser interpreter sees
>>> the <?php, it assumes that all text to follow is php code until the
>>> terminating token ?> is seen. Now if the include function is called
>>> within the <?php ... ?>, the interpreter still assumes that any text
>>> it sees is PHP. So again, I don't understand why the include text
>>> needs to bracket its code in <?php ...?>. What am I missing here?
>>> Thanks, MDM.
>> Thats your problem... php has nothing to do with the browser. Its a server
>> side scripting language and independent of the client.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
> =============================
> Yes, the text "browser interpreter" should replaced by "interpreter".
> In any case, it would seem that the question is still valid. Any
> comments would be appreciated.
> MDM
>

Michel,

Because the included file may not necessarily contain PHP code. It can
contain html, for instance, with php code intermixed - just like any php
file. Or it may contain no php code at all.

--
==================
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Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attglobal.net
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