Re: [PHP] Syntax Oddity

2006-05-02 Thread Martin Alterisio

2006/5/2, Richard Lynch [EMAIL PROTECTED]:


Does anybody have a rational explanation for what purpose in life the
following syntax is considered acceptable?

?php
  $query = UPDATE whatever SET x = 1;
  $query;
?

Note that the line with just $query; on it doesn't, like, do anything.

I suppose in a Zen-like sort of way, it exists and all, but, really,
what's the point?

Is there some subtle reason for this not being some kind of syntax
error that's way over my head or something?

This is not just philosophical minutiae -- Real-world beginners, with
no programming experience, actually type the above (albeit with a lot
more logic and whatnot in between) and then wonder why the query
didn't execute.

It even makes a wild sort of sense to type that, if you presume that a
beginner might not grasp the distinctions between PHP and MySQL and
the relationship yet.

Does anybody actually USE this idiom in any meaningful way?
?php
  string;
?

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I believe this is just C syntax legacy, although I think you can pass an
argument to a C compiler to raise a warning when this kind of statements are
found, that can't be done in PHP. Anyway, is just the way
compiler/interpreters are made when a language has a C syntax style, it's
just more efficient for the compiler to do what you're told and don't ask
too many questions (if you mess up and your program is slow or buggy is your
fault not the compiler's).


Re: [PHP] Syntax Oddity

2006-05-02 Thread Dave Goodchild

Hmmm. The only time I ever use anything remotely like that is in a loop or
other code are where I don't want anything to happen ie

for ($foo=0;$foo=10;$foo++) {


On 02/05/06, Martin Alterisio [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


2006/5/2, Richard Lynch [EMAIL PROTECTED]:

 Does anybody have a rational explanation for what purpose in life the
 following syntax is considered acceptable?

 ?php
   $query = UPDATE whatever SET x = 1;
   $query;
 ?

 Note that the line with just $query; on it doesn't, like, do anything.

 I suppose in a Zen-like sort of way, it exists and all, but, really,
 what's the point?

 Is there some subtle reason for this not being some kind of syntax
 error that's way over my head or something?

 This is not just philosophical minutiae -- Real-world beginners, with
 no programming experience, actually type the above (albeit with a lot
 more logic and whatnot in between) and then wonder why the query
 didn't execute.

 It even makes a wild sort of sense to type that, if you presume that a
 beginner might not grasp the distinctions between PHP and MySQL and
 the relationship yet.

 Does anybody actually USE this idiom in any meaningful way?
 ?php
   string;
 ?

 --
 Like Music?
 http://l-i-e.com/artists.htm

 --
 PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/ )
 To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php


I believe this is just C syntax legacy, although I think you can pass an
argument to a C compiler to raise a warning when this kind of statements
are
found, that can't be done in PHP. Anyway, is just the way
compiler/interpreters are made when a language has a C syntax style, it's
just more efficient for the compiler to do what you're told and don't ask
too many questions (if you mess up and your program is slow or buggy is
your
fault not the compiler's).





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