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Hint: elseif is ONE word

"else if" and "else if" are both valid, 
the problem is that control structures in
the "normal" form may not be split across
several <?php ... ?> blocks this way

<?php if(...) { ?> ... <?php } else if{...) { ?> ... <?php } ?> 

is ok as the mode switch occures inside the curlies
but with 

<?php if(...) echo ...; ?> ... <?php else if{...) echo ...; ?>

the echo and the ?>...<?php count as two statements, 
so the connection between the "if" and the "else" is lost

the "alternative" form might help here?:

<php if(...): echo ...; ?> ... <?php elseif(...): echo ...; ?>

note the colons after the closing parentheses and that in this case it's really only "elseif", not "else if"

That works except now I'm getting a parse error on the curly that ends the function
is there something i need to do to end that chain or something?

thanks,
   joe

and to the first guy who replied, look @ the online documentation before you bother people, i did, and i tried BOTH else ifs as a result, although i admit i did else if first because im a c programmer