a php syntax question "==@" ??

snowtigger · 06-11-2008, 12:00 AM

Well i'm diving in to the wonderful world of php,sql and html. But i'm a little stuck on something. I have found a little tutorial on filling a html form drop down box from a database table, however reading through the source i came across this bit,

PHP Code:



while($noticia2 = mysql_fetch_array($quer2)) { 
 
if($noticia2['cat_id']==@$cat){echo "<option selected value='$noticia2[cat_id]'>$noticia2[category]</option>"."<BR>";} 
 
else

I understand most of it, its just the

PHP Code:

==@

that has got me. I think it is the following.....

a

PHP Code:

==

which is a Comparison Operator.

followed by a

PHP Code:

which is a Error Control Operators.

Am i right in my thinking or is it something else altogether.
If i'm correct can i introduce a space in between, like....

PHP Code:



== @

Or will that start meaning something else?

graemef · 06-11-2008, 10:34 PM

It doesn't look to be very conventional. I would suspect that $cat has not always been defined and so it is trying to avoid an error being displayed when the $cat variable doesn't exist. I would suggest (if that really is the case) that it would be better to code it as follows:

PHP Code:



if (isset($cat))
   if($noticia2['cat_id'] == $cat)
      { /* code here */ }

snowtigger · 06-11-2008, 11:30 PM

hello graemef,
Thanks for your input and the suggestion.

I got the code from here http://www.plus2net.com/php_tutorial..._down_list.php,
(to anyone else...i'm not suggesting this site, its just one i stumbled upon).
But after reading through the php manual i'm thinking more and more that the code is not very well written to start with.

You mention about $cat not being set, and i think your right there. There is this little part in the source for the tutorial.....

PHP Code:



@$cat=$_GET['cat']; // Use this line or below line if register_global is off 
 
//@$cat=$HTTP_GET_VARS['cat']; // Use this line or above line if register_global is off

However it has given me some pointers in the right direction and i'm now on my quest of writing what i want to achieve.

AdaHacker · 06-12-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowtigger

But after reading through the php manual i'm thinking more and more that the code is not very well written to start with.

You have good instincts. The code on that page is not only ugly, but also extremely out-dated. For example, the use of $HTTP_GET_VARS has been deprecated since PHP 4.1 (released in December 2001) and register_globals has been off by default since version 4.2 (released April 2002). Not exactly up-to-date stuff.

snowtigger · 06-13-2008, 02:26 AM

So can any of you suggest any up to date websites with some tutorials?

AdaHacker · 06-13-2008, 10:22 AM

Well, Zend's beginners tutorial looks to be fairly good. They also have a boat-load of other tutorials, though many of them are on more advanced topics.