basic php

[ScrAm]

While reading up on PHP, i came across 2 different ways to code the PHP script into the html document.

The regular:

Code: Select all

<?php
$txt = "HELLO WORLD!";
echo $txt;
?>


Other way:

Code: Select all

<script language="php">
$txt = "HELLO WORLD!";
echo $txt;
</script>


Which way should i be using? Are they both correct in syntax?

[BhaaL]

Stick to the first one, the second is rather confusing for some browsers (yes, still!). Apart from that, in some cases, it isnt even interpreted as it should be, as opposed to the <?php ... ?> notation (depending on configuration).

And just to keep you off bad coding styles...
-> Use <?php rather than shorttag <? (because it could be disabled, and it makes problems when using xml/xhtml types).
-> Hands off the short-echo <?= syntax (which doesnt work either if shorttag is disabled).

[comperr]

the second is rather confusing for some browsers (yes, still!).

not true - PHP parses it

The <script language="php"> tag won't be read by browsers; it will be parsed by PHP just like <?php and ?> are.

[BhaaL]

not true - PHP parses it

This only goes for .php files (and others configured to run thru the PHP processor). For .htm/l and such, it will certainly not work.
And even for .php files, I think it was possible to disable that from php.ini...you just got me confused on that, so I'm not actually sure about it either anymore.