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Request #51016 Always associate "else:" followed by colon to an "if:" followed by colon
Submitted: 2010-02-11 14:03 UTC Modified: 2021-11-16 15:17 UTC
Votes:4
Avg. Score:3.2 ± 1.5
Reproduced:1 of 2 (50.0%)
Same Version:0 (0.0%)
Same OS:0 (0.0%)
From: claude dot pache at gmail dot com Assigned: cmb (profile)
Status: Wont fix Package: Scripting Engine problem
PHP Version: 5.3.1 OS: *
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
View Developer Edit
 [2010-02-11 14:03 UTC] claude dot pache at gmail dot com 
Description:
------------
In case of ambiguity, the statements "else" and "elseif" are always 
associated to the last previous "if" or "elseif". This rule is not 
convenable when the else/elseif is followed by a colon and the last 
previous if/elseif is not.

See also: http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=838

Reproduce code:
---------------
if(foo):
    // some code here
    if (bar) baz;
else:
    // some code here
endif;

Expected result:
----------------
Since the "else" is followed by a colon (:), it can be associated 
*unambiguously* with the last "if" followed by a colon (here, 
"if(foo):"), and not with the last "if" (here, "if(bar)").


Actual result:
--------------
Parse error. The "else" is associated with the last "if", and the 
following ":" is unexpected.

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 [2010-11-24 09:41 UTC] jani@php.net
-Package: Feature/Change Request +Package: Scripting Engine problem -Operating System: irrelevant +Operating System: *
 [2021-04-26 12:19 UTC] temp at springtimesoftware dot com 
1. PHP should work like most other languages: an else should always be associated with the nearest previous if statement. Period. Any other behavior can be obtained by using curly brackets.

2. Currently, the PHP Manual is incomplete in describing valid sequences of nested ifs, thens, and elses. It should be improved to specify what happens e.g. in the following dangling else case:

if ($a)
if ($b) b();
else c();

Of course, the "else c();" should be associated with "if ($b) b();".

3. Colons following if, then, or else tokens should result in a syntax error.

4. "elseif" or "elif" (your choice) should be a valid abbreviation for "else if".
 [2021-11-16 15:17 UTC] cmb@php.net
-Status: Open +Status: Wont fix -Assigned To: +Assigned To: cmb
 [2021-11-16 15:17 UTC] cmb@php.net 
> This rule is not convenable when the else/elseif is followed by
> a colon and the last previous if/elseif is not.

Right.  However, I wouldn't want to encourage anyone to use this
mixed style.  Given that this request is more than ten years old
and got almost no traction, I'm closing as WONTFIX.  If you, or
anybody else for that matter, is still interested in this, please
pursue the RFC process[1].

> It should be improved to specify what happens e.g. in the
> following dangling else case:

Done[2].

[1] <https://wiki.php.net/rfc/howto>
[2] <https://github.com/php/doc-en/commit/3725fe1c95b201563518c30e1988b2f32ee099aa>
 
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