How much will multiple PHP blocks slow down a script?

[svivian]

I'm using the MVC pattern for a site, and as such have a 'view' page which is mostly HTML, but with some foreach loops. Something like the following (but more HTML, usually):

<?php foreach ( $array as $a ) : ?>
<p><?=$a['var1']?></p>
<p><?=$a['var2']?></p>
<p><?=$a['var3']?></p>
<?php endforeach; ?>

 

However there are a few odd occasions where I use a lot of conditional statements to add small amounts of HTML. Something like:

 

<?php if ( $a['var1'] ) : ?>
<p>Something</p>
<?php else : ?>
<p>Something else</p>
<?php endif; ?>

 

I could use this, which I'm guessing might be a bit quicker, since it's only one PHP block:

 

<?php
if ( $a['var1'] )
{
  echo '<p>Something</p>'
}
else
{
  echo '<p>Something else</p>';
}
?>

 

Anyone have any stats on the speed difference?

[mrdamien]

Probably only a few nano-seconds each.

 

Just for fun I timed:

for( $i = 0; $i<1000; $i++) { ?>
<?=$i?> one
<?=$i?> two
<?=$i?> three
<?php }; ?>

against

for( $i = 0; $i<1000; $i++) { 
echo "$i one
$i two
$i three";
}

 

and most of the time, #2 was faster.

[chronister]

I personally use the drop in and out of php  when need be and I have never had problem.

 

I would say if you need php, use a php block if you need html, close the php and use html... thats the way it has been designed.