PHP: Update DB Parse Error

Question

I a creating a form where the user can update previously entered information in fields relative to an ID field.

However, I am getting a parse syntax error when using the HEREDOC method of displaying the modifications to the code.

My error displayed looks like this:

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '<<' (T_SL) in /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/htdocs/serverside/phptut/update.php on line 24

For reference my script on 24 onward looks like this:

echo<<<EOD 
    <b>The new record looks like this:</b>
    Email: $email<br/>
    First: $first<br/>
    Last: $last<br/>
    Status: $status<br/>
EOD;

And for further reference my code in totality is this

<?php
include "dbinfo.php";
//gets the variables from form submitted
$id = $_POST[id];
$email = $_POST[email];
$first = $_POST[first];
$last = $_POST[last];
$status = $_POST[status];

//sets the values where the ID is equal to what was passed in 
$sql = "UPDATE contacts SET
email = '$email',
first ='$first',
last = '$last',
phone ='$phone'
where ID = '$id' ";

$result = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());
//excute

//print what the new one looks like
echo '<html><head><title>Updated Results</title></head><body>';
include ("header.php");
echo<<<EOD 
    <b>The new record looks like this:</b>
    Email: $email<br/>
    First: $first<br/>
    Last: $last<br/>
    Status: $status<br/>
EOD;

?>

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You have a space at the end of echo<<<EOD remove it and it will work, just as Phil stated below. — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented Nov 19, 2013 at 5:14
Well, when I copied the OP's code, it was a space. @Phil least, that's what it showed up as, as single character if I can say. — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented Nov 19, 2013 at 5:16
@Fred-ii- Never mind, vi identified it as trail which I took to mean a different character. It is in fact a trailing space — Phil
– Phil, Commented Nov 19, 2013 at 5:17

Phil · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-19 05:18:35Z

2

See HEREDOC

A third way to delimit strings is the heredoc syntax: <<<. After this operator, an identifier is provided, then a newline.

There should not be a space between <<< and the identifier and there should only be a newline after. You a single, trailing space character after <<<EOD.

Working demo here - http://codepad.org/Y2vxavDB

Also, please be aware that the MySQL extension has been deprecated. You should be using MySQLi or PDO.

edited Nov 19, 2013 at 5:18

answered Nov 19, 2013 at 4:46

Phil

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3 Comments

bee Over a year ago

Unfortunately, when I edited the space, it made no difference.

Phil Over a year ago

@rsheeler You appear to have a tab or some other whitespace character (other than a newline) after <<<EOD

Funk Forty Niner Over a year ago

@Phil I figured it out for myself, and you're right. The OP obviously has a white space after EOD and/or after the end. Actually I'm glad you didn't tell me the "why", because I actually like to figure things out for myself ;-)

Nikunj K. · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-19 05:29:19Z

0

The closing identifier must begin in the first column of the line.

Here is another Example http://codepad.org/FobMK0AL

<?php
echo<<<EOD
<b>The new record looks like this:</b>
Email: $email<br/>
First: $first<br/>
Last: $last<br/>
Status: $status<br/>
EOD;

?>

answered Nov 19, 2013 at 5:29

Nikunj K.

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