[PHP-DEV] Alternative PHP tags and strict_types=1

[Bishop Bettini]

Hi!

In php7@20150501, I've noticed that this code <http://3v4l.org/hPFIg>
produces the expected output [1]:

<% echo 'top'; %>
<?php // COMMENTED OUT -- declare(strict_types=1);

But this code <http://3v4l.org/RriFV> unexpectedly produces the
strict-must-be-first instruction error:

<% echo 'top'; %>
<?php declare(strict_types=1);


Am I missing something?  I expected that removing the ASP tags
<https://wiki.php.net/rfc/remove_alternative_php_tags> from the language
would remove them and their contents from tallying as instructions.

Thanks,
bishop

[1]: The expected output is "<% echo 'top'; %>", not "top".