Advanced Web Development-Lecture 2

BSIT 311 ADVANCED WEB PROGRAMMING
BSIT 311 ADVANCED WEB

/CSCP 369 WEB APPLICATIONS
PROGRAMMING/
CSCP 369 WEB APPLICATIONS
BY
KINGSLEY KWAME DRAH
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

GOALS OF THE LECTURE
•PHP Comments
•Variables
•String functions
PHP Comments
Comments in PHP
A comment in PHP code is a line that is not executed as a part of the
program. Its only purpose is to be read by someone who is looking at
the code.
Comments can be used to:
• Let others understand your code
• Remind yourself of what you did - Most programmers have
experienced coming back to their own work a year or two later and
having to re-figure out what they did. Comments can remind you of
what you were thinking when you wrote the code
PHP supports several ways of commenting:
Single-line example
Syntax for single-line comments:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<?php
// This is a single-line comment
# This is also a single-line comment

?>
</body>
</html>
Multiple-Line example
Syntax for multiple-line comments:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<?php
/*
This is a multiple-lines comment block
that spans over multiple
lines
*/
?>
</body>
</html>
Using comments to leave out parts of the code:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<?php
// You can also use comments to leave out parts of a code line
$x = 5 /* + 15 */ + 5;
echo $x;
?>
</body>
</html>
PHP Variables
Variables are "containers" for storing information.
Creating (Declaring) PHP Variables
In PHP, a variable starts with the $ sign, followed by the name of the
variable:
<?php
$txt = "Hello world!"; //string value

$x = 5; //integer value
$y = 10.5; //floating point value
?>
After execution of the statements above, the
variable $txt will hold the value Hello
world! , the variable $x will hold the value 5,
and the variable $y will hold the value 10.5.
Note: When you assign a text value to a variable, put quotes around
the value.
Note: Unlike other programming languages, PHP has no command for

declaring a variable. It is created the moment you first assign a value to
it.
PHP Variables
A variable can have a short name (like x and y) or a more descriptive
name (age, carname, total_volume).
Rules for PHP variables:
• A variable starts with the $ sign, followed by the name of the variable
• A variable name must start with a letter or the underscore character
• A variable name cannot start with a number
• A variable name can only contain alpha-numeric characters and
underscores (A-z, 0-9, and _ )
• Variable names are case-sensitive ($age and $AGE are two different
variables)
Class Activity
Determine whether the following variables are valid or invalid
1. $Cat
2. $9_myvar
3. $kingsley@gmail.com
4. $C:/xyz
5. $Total_Score
6. $If
7. $I_know_my_variables
8. variable_t
9. t_graph
Class Activity - Answers
Determine whether the following variables are valid or invalid
1. $Cat - valid
2. $9_myvar - invalid
3. $kingsley@gmail.com - invalid
4. $C:/xyz - invalid
5. $Total_Score - valid
6. $If - valid
7. $I_know_my_variables - valid
8. variable_t - invalid
9. t_graph_$ - invalid
Output Variables
The PHP echo statement is often used to output data to the screen.
The following example will show how to output text and a variable:
Example 1 Example 2
<?php <?php
$txt = "W3Schools.com"; $x = 5;
echo "I love $txt!"; $y = 4;
echo $x + $y;
?>
?>
PHP is a Loosely Typed Language
In the example above, notice that we did not have
to tell PHP which data type the variable is.
PHP automatically associates a data type to the

variable, depending on its value. Since the data
types are not set in a strict sense, you can do
things like adding a string to an integer without
causing an error.
PHP Variables Scope
PHP Variables Scope
In PHP, variables can be declared anywhere in the script.
The scope of a variable is the part of the script where the
variable can be referenced/used.
PHP has three different variable scopes:
• local
• global
• static
Global Scope
A variable declared outside a function has a GLOBAL SCOPE and can
only be accessed outside a function:
<?php
$x = 5; // global scope
function myTest() {
// using x inside this function will generate an
error
echo "Variable x inside function is: $x";
}
myTest();
echo "Variable x outside function is: $x";

?>
Local Scope
A variable declared within a function has a LOCAL SCOPE and can only
be accessed within that function:
<?php
function myTest() {
$x = 5; // local scope
echo "Variable x inside function is: $x";
}
myTest();
// using x outside the function will generate an

error
echo "Variable x outside function is: $x";
?>
PHP The global Keyword
The global keyword is used to access a global variable from within a function.
To do this, use the global keyword before the variables (inside the function):
<?php
$x = 5;
$y = 10;
function myTest() {
global $x, $y;
$y = $x + $y;
}
myTest();
echo $y; // outputs 15
?>
PHP The static Keyword
Normally, when a function is completed/executed, all of its variables are deleted.
However, sometimes we want a local variable NOT to be deleted. We need it for a
further job.
To do this, use the static keyword when you first declare the
variable:
<?php
function myTest() {
static $x = 0;
echo $x;
$x++;
}
myTest();
myTest();
myTest();
?>
PHP String Functions
A string is a sequence of characters, like "Hello world!".
Some string functions:

• strlen() - Return the Length of a String
• str_word_count() - Count Words in a String
• strrev() - Reverse a String
• strpos() - Search For a Text Within a String
• str_replace() - Replace Text Within a String
Used Examples:
<?php
echo strlen("Hello world!"); // outputs 12
echo str_word_count("Hello world!"); // outputs 2
echo strrev("Hello world!"); // outputs !dlrow olleH
echo strpos("Hello world!", "world"); // outputs 6
echo str_replace("world", "Dolly", "Hello world!"); //

outputs Hello Dolly!
?>

Advanced Web Development-Lecture 2

Uploaded by

Advanced Web Development-Lecture 2

Uploaded by

BSIT 311 ADVANCED WEB PROGRAMMING

BSIT 311 ADVANCED WEB

KINGSLEY KWAME DRAH

COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

# This is also a single-line comment

$txt = "Hello world!"; //string value

Note: Unlike other programming languages, PHP has no command for

PHP automatically associates a data type to the

echo "<p>Variable x outside function is: $x</p>";

// using x outside the function will generate an

Some string functions:

echo str_word_count("Hello world!"); // outputs 2

echo strrev("Hello world!"); // outputs !dlrow olleH

echo strpos("Hello world!", "world"); // outputs 6

echo str_replace("world", "Dolly", "Hello world!"); //

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