CricketMX.com

After commenting (I'll write one about it later) one of the most useful functions is 'echo'

Basically you write a variable. Variable names must be in this format:
(Dollarsign)(Alpha-numeric characters)

So a valid variable name would be:
Invalid would be
Because it is missing the dollar sign, to end the variable, you must tell PHP what it's supposed to resemble, so you could use a number:
Or a word:
Never forget to end a line of code with a semicolon!! ( ; )

If you forget, you will get an error along the lines of:
Parse Error: Parse error on line xx

So a valid line would be:
To start and end a section of PHP code, you must use 2 codes. To start a section:
And to end:
Now on to the echoing. Echoing is very simple, it simply prints and displays a variable or variables that you choose. You can use HTML in them. To start an echo, you write
Simple, then:
OR
If you're simply echoing a variable you don't need the ' & '.
An example of good code, from top to bottom:

This PHP Script wrote: <?php <<< Start PHP code
$forum_age = 8; <<< Variable

echo 'This forum has been up for '; <<< Note the space between for and '
echo $forum_age; <<< Variable, no '' needed
echo ' '; <<< Space to go after the variable
echo 'months'; <<< Just a word, need ''
echo '<br />'; <<< HTML can be used
?> <<< End PHP Code

Of course you don't include the text which I have highlighted in italic, that will just confuse PHP and throw up a parse error
If you want to see it without the italics:

This PHP Script wrote:<?php
$forum_age = 8;

echo 'This forum has been up for ';
echo $forum_age;
echo ' ';
echo 'months';
echo '<br />';
?>

The final product would be:

This forum has been up for 8 months

Used in this example, it's not as effective as HTML but when you start getting SQL (Database) queries they become very useful

ok i copied the text above to see if it really works, I saw this raw code on another of Batt's posts and was wondering what was up with it.

I guess maybe he has it working now???

<?php
$forum_age = 8;

echo 'This forum has been up for ';
echo $forum_age;
echo ' ';
echo 'months';
echo '<br />';
?>

ok i guess not

Hmm interesting Battye, I hope to see more input from other contributors as well to show style differences in the layout .
Its a good start to the month ,well done .

StorbinC wrote:ok i copied the text above to see if it really works, I saw this raw code on another of Batt's posts and was wondering what was up with it.

I guess maybe he has it working now???

<?php
$forum_age = 8;

echo 'This forum has been up for ';
echo $forum_age;
echo ' ';
echo 'months';
echo '<br />';
?>

You need to upload it to a PHP enabled server for it to work, example @ http://www.cricketmx.com/testforum/dontuseme.php

btw i just wrote it today, so u cant have seen it before

Just to add, php is like html as in you can write you code in notepad or wordpad. When your done with the code you would save it as: Upload it to your php enabled server and then access the page.