+ +
+

Alternate PHP Syntax for View Files

+

If you do not utilize CodeIgniter’s template +engine, you’ll be using pure PHP in your +View files. To minimize the PHP code in these files, and to make it +easier to identify the code blocks it is recommended that you use PHPs +alternative syntax for control structures and short tag echo statements. +If you are not familiar with this syntax, it allows you to eliminate the +braces from your code, and eliminate “echo” statements.

+
+

Automatic Short Tag Support

+
+

Note

+

If you find that the syntax described in this page does not +work on your server it might be that “short tags” are disabled in your +PHP ini file. CodeIgniter will optionally rewrite short tags on-the-fly, +allowing you to use that syntax even if your server doesn’t support it. +This feature can be enabled in your config/config.php file.

+
+

Please note that if you do use this feature, if PHP errors are +encountered in your view files, the error message and line number +will not be accurately shown. Instead, all errors will be shown as +eval() errors.

+
+
+

Alternative Echos

+

Normally to echo, or print out a variable you would do this:

+
<?php echo $variable; ?>
+
+
+

With the alternative syntax you can instead do it this way:

+
<?=$variable?>
+
+
+
+
+

Alternative Control Structures

+

Controls structures, like if, for, foreach, and while can be written in +a simplified format as well. Here is an example using foreach:

+
<ul>
+
+<?php foreach ($todo as $item): ?>
+
+        <li><?=$item?></li>
+
+<?php endforeach; ?>
+
+</ul>
+
+
+

Notice that there are no braces. Instead, the end brace is replaced with +endforeach. Each of the control structures listed above has a similar +closing syntax: endif, endfor, endforeach, and endwhile

+

Also notice that instead of using a semicolon after each structure +(except the last one), there is a colon. This is important!

+

Here is another example, using if/elseif/else. Notice the colons:

+
<?php if ($username === 'sally'): ?>
+
+        <h3>Hi Sally</h3>
+
+<?php elseif ($username === 'joe'): ?>
+
+        <h3>Hi Joe</h3>
+
+<?php else: ?>
+
+        <h3>Hi unknown user</h3>
+
+<?php endif; ?>
+
+
+
+
+ + +