[SOLVED] if and else

[jmr3460]

What is wrong with this code:

<?php
if(setcookie("pam","Pamela is great"));
{
echo "The deal is done!";}
else
{echo "No cookie for you!";
}
?>

I get this error:

 

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_ELSE in /home3/simplic5/public_html/php/index.php on line 5

[DarkSuperHero]

<?php
if(setcookie("pam","Pamela is great")) //you did not need a ; at the end of this line, that was causing an error
{
echo "The deal is done!";
}
else
{
echo "No cookie for you!";
}
?>

[jmr3460]

I need to read more. Is that not the end of that statement? By the way that fixed it.

[.josh]

conditions are not terminated by semicolons.  Conditions  use { } brackets to mark the beginning and end of what you want executed if they evaluate true.  But, if you are only wanting to execute one expression if it evaluates true, you don't need the { } brackets.  Examples:

 

if (condition)
  expression1; // will be executed if condition is true

 

if (condition) {
  expression1; // will be executed if condition is true, same as first one
}

 

if (condition)
  expression1; // will be executed if condition is true
  expression2; // will be executed regardless of whether condition is true or not, as it is not tied to the condition

 

if (condition) {
  expression1; // will be executed if condition is true
  expression2; // will be also only be executed if condition is true, since it is wrapped inside the brackets
}

 

So technically, you could have written your code like this:

<?php
if(setcookie("pam","Pamela is great"))
  echo "The deal is done!";
else
  echo "No cookie for you!";
?>

[jmr3460]

Thanks I have some homework to do. Learning the definitions and terms and the syntax for them. I was just looking for some books on these subjects. Thanks again for the replys!