Recursive script causing ... nothing!

[Meep3D]

I am trying to import a datafile which is similar to a php array in structure, but is saved in a text file. e.g... (the following isn't the actual file its just an interpretation.

[code]
BSI = {
["n1"] = {
["m1"] = {
["o1"] = 0,
},
["m2"] = {
["o2"] = 0,
}
}
}
[/code]

I use a recursive function within a class to split it into the array().  The actual function works, it returns the first result split properly.  The problem occurs with the recursion - as soon as the function calls itself it dies.  It runs for a few seconds then displays nothing at all.  Even a <h1> tag at the top, outside the PHP block doesn't display.  It simply dies on a blank screen with no warnings or errors (I have E_ALL on.  I am thinking it's an issue with PHP/Apache as it should at least give me an error.  Code is below.

I put ...

echo '<p>This Point Here</p>';

...in to basically show me how many recursions it's done.  If I comment out the line below which tells it to recurse...

$contents = $this->parseStatement ( $contents );

...then the page renders fine with 'This Point Here' once.  If I leave it uncommented, I just get a blank screen.

Thanks in advance if you can help!

(Hi BTW, I am new)

[code]
function parseStatement ( $statement ) {

$literalString = false;
$readMode = true;
$currentString = '';
$valueString = '';
$indent = 1;
$contents = '';
$openCurly = false;
$openSquare = false;
$return = '';

# Loop for each character.
for ( $counter = 0; $counter < strlen ( $statement ); $counter++ ) {

$char = substr ( $statement, $counter, 1 );
$readMode = true;

# Parse single quotes.
if ( $char == '"' ) {
$literalString = !$literalString;
$readMode = true;
}

# Parse characters (if not in literal string)
if ( !$literalString && ( $char == '=' ) ) {
$readMode = false;
$valueString = $currentString;
$currentString = '';
}

# echo $char;

if ( !$literalString && ( $char == '{' ) ) {
$readMode = false;
$endCurly = $this->matchBrace ( $statement, '{}', $counter+1 );
$contents = substr ( $statement, $counter + 1, $endCurly - $counter - 2 );
# echo 'BREAK';
break;
}

# Add current to string if required.
if ( $readMode ) $currentString .= $char;
}

echo '<p>This Point Here</p>';

$contents = $this->parseStatement ( $contents );

if ( $valueString ) {
$return = array ( $valueString => $contents );
} else {
$return = $contents;
}

return $return;
}
[/code]

Sorry about the lack of commenting, it should be fairly obvious though.

[Meep3D]

PHP 5 on Apache2.2 on Windows XP btw.

[Meep3D]

Sorry I am an idiot.  I just realized it calls itself forever.  If only it told me that or gave some sort of error.  Ah well...