"php comment" within an echo statement

Question

How can I handle comments in the middle of an echo command?

This syntax is getting me a syntax error but why is not compliant?

<?
echo "Print this " . /*but not this*/ . " and this\n";
?>

Am I forced to write 3 separate statements?

<?
echo "Print this "
/*but not this*/
echo " and this\n";
?>

Flosculus · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-23 15:36:38Z

4

Its because it resolves to:

echo "Print this " .  . " and this\n";

Which is a syntax error, so is this:

echo "Print this " echo " and this\n";

With the exception of inside string literals, comments effectively don't exist in the code upon execution.

answered Nov 23, 2015 at 15:36

Flosculus

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1 Comment

very clear! This is working: <? echo "Print this " . /*but not this*/ " and this\n"; ?>

samlev · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-23 15:38:19Z

2

Include the second (or the first) . in the comment:

echo "Print this " . /*but not this .*/ " and this\n";

That will make it resolve to:

echo "Print this " . " and this\n";

answered Nov 23, 2015 at 15:38

samlev

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This still works. Even works if it's multiple lines and the . /* comment . */ is on a new line. Cool stuff. Thank you.