1. Switch statements
A switch statement is a special control structure. Instead of
checking any condition or expression like an if statement a
switch statement can only be used to compare a expression
agains a list of other expressions. It uses internally the compare operator
==.
Such a switch statement can be create with the
keyword switch. It is followed by an expression written
in parentheses, typically a variable. After that the body of the
switch statement is followed, which starts and
ends with curly brackets ({ and }).
<?php
switch ($var) {
}
?>
Inside of the switch body you can add case lines. The php
interpreter jumps to this line if the expression has the same value as
the value behind the case keyword. After the case
expression there must be placed a colon :.
<?php
switch ($var) {
case 5: // jump here if 5 == $var
case "b": // jump here if "b" == $var
}
?>
This is like a goto command, however such a command dont
exists in php. If php jumps to a case block he executes the php code standing there.
If he find any other case lines php ignores them. This also means
the block doesn't stop at the next case.
<?php
$var = 4;
switch ($var) {
case 0:
echo "I am not executed";
case 4:
echo "I get executed";
case 90:
echo "But I get executed, too";
}
?>
If you dont want this add a break statement. This will
quit the case part and jumps to the end of the
switch statement.
<?php
$var = 4;
switch ($var) {
case 0:
echo "I am not executed";
break;
case 4:
echo "I get executed";
break;
case 90:
break; // useless as you are already at the end
}
?>
If there is no matching case php jumps to the default: line,
if there is one.
<?php
switch ($formaction) {
case 'delete':
echo "Something gets deleted";
break;
case 'save':
echo "Something gets saved";
break;
default:
echo "Show something or do something if no case is matched";
break;
case 'reload': // can be found and is NOT catched by the default line
echo "Something gets reloaded";
break;
}
?>
It is possible to add a default: line everywhere but such a block
should be only placed as the last of all case blocks. This will
increased the readability of your scripts. First an expression is checked again
every case line and if no case line is found the default: line
is loaded. Its like an else part of an if statement.
