Curly braces when breaking for loop?

[Prince_Bert]

I'm learning PHP from the book, PHP & MySQL in Easy Steps but when I reached the section on breaking loops I think the author is a bit unclear about how many braces are used and therefore I cannot get the code to work as it should. The trouble is he writes it in so many stages. This is the first for loop and nested inner loop. Do I need braces here??

 

<?php


for ( $i = 1 ; $i < 4 ; $i++ )


{
 for ( $j = 1 ; $j < 4 ; $j++ )


echo "Running i = $i and j = $j <br>" ;


}


?>

</body>
</html>

 

I assume the above is correct as it works OK.

 

 

However, when I try to add the break code it just will not work however I do it - with or without curly braces, or wherever else  the break statement in the code. I type it as follows:

 

{ 
 if ( $i == 2 && $j == 1 )

echo "Breaks inner loop when i = $i and j = $j <br>" ;
break ;

}

 

Can anyone help?? I have been stuck on this for nearly an entire day and have tried everything.

 

 

 

[Jessica]

Without curly braces only the first line is in the loop. So your code is this:

 

<?php
for ( $i = 1 ; $i < 4 ; $i++ )
{
     for ( $j = 1 ; $j < 4 ; $j++ )
     {
          echo "Running i = $i and j = $j <br>" ;
          if ( $i == 2 && $j == 1 )
          {
               echo "Breaks inner loop when i = $i and j = $j <br>" ;
          }
          break ;
     }
}
?>

Just use them. It will be easier for you to read. Use them and indent.

[Prince_Bert]

Thanks Jessica. That still does not display like the book says it should. I am getting

 

 

Running i = 1 and j = 1 
Running i = 2 and j = 1 
Breaks inner loop when i = 2 and j = 1 
Running i = 3 and j = 1

 

 

However, that is not showing the complete loop as it should be before and after the break. Am I using the wrong software. I have Notepad, but I am not sure whether I should have a different version for PHP. Something just isn't right. 

[Jessica]

I didn't fix your code, I showed you why it won't work.

The break is outside of the loop. It will execute every time (and therefore only one time.)

[Prince_Bert]

OK, can anyone show me how to fix this code. I haven't a clue and nothing I try works. I have spent hours trying different things.

[Jessica]

If you want the break to apply when your conditional is true, you need to put it INSIDE the conditional's braces. (If it's going to work at all, break is weird when nested.)

[Prince_Bert]

I have tried that numerous times. It will not happen. My issue is I don't know how many curly braces I should have for the above code. My book does not make it clear and despite Googling I cannot find a similar example. 

[Jessica]

You should have ALL of them.

[Prince_Bert]

You mean all 6 including the ones you added  in the above example. I think I'll need a beginners forum.