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Start learning PHP - part 2
Often in PHP you want the same block of code to run over and over again and instead of adding several almost equal lines, you can use loops to perform this task much easier.
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1.
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In the previous PHP lesson we learned how to output text and how to store values in variables. You can find the lesson on the following link Start learning PHP - part 1
Today we will learn how to store data in a variables in a more compact way through arrays and how to use loops to perform one task several times.
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2.
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Arrays
A variable can hold a single piece of data. On the other hand an array can hold a string of related data.
The example is below:
<?php
$person[0] = "Jimmy";
$person[1] = "Denise";
$person[2] = "George";
$person[3] = "Monica";
$age["Jimmy"] = 45;
$age["Nicole"] = 32;
$age["George"] = 26;
$age["Denise"] = 15;
echo "The names in the array are: <br /> ";
echo $person[0] . ", ";
echo $person[1] . ", ";
echo $person[2] . ", ";
echo $person[3];
?>
Here we can see that variables can be accessed by index or by name.
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3.
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Foreach
Instead of using echo for every single variable in an array, a much better choice is to use foreach loop statement.
<?php
$person[0] = "Jimmy";
$person[1] = "Denise";
$person[2] = "George";
$person[3] = "Monica";
foreach ($person as $p) {
echo $p." ";
}
?>
This code will go through all the elements in an array and output the values.
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4.
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For
The next very useful loop statement that you will use a lot in PHP is for statement.
<?php
for ($i=0; $i<10; $i++) {
echo "Loop number: $i <br />";
}
?>
This code will execute the echo command ten times.
<br /> tag in HTML means new line.
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5.
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While
There is also another very common statement that you will use if you don't know the exact number of iterations needed and that is while statement.
<?php
$i=0;
while ($i<10) {
echo "Loop number: $i <br />";
$i++;
}
?>
The code inside while loop will be executed while the condition is true. In our case while value of varible $i is less then 10.
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6.
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Do...while
You can also use a similar loop statement by using syntax do...while and the end result should be the same. Although in most of the cases the loop statements mentioned before will be much more useful.
<?php
$i=0;
do {
echo "Loop number: $i <br />";
$i++;
}
while ($i<10);
?>
Loop statements from this lesson are very important in PHP and you will use them a lot. So try it yourself and make a few examples to fully understand how they work.
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| Keep them coming, thank you! |
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| Hy there!I hope i'm not late with the question, but i noticed the dots used in section 2. Arrays in the echo commands, also in section 3. Foreach in the end of the echo command. What is the purpose or role of the dots in php?Great tuts, thank you! |
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Don't worry, you are not late. We are always here. 
To answer your question, dot in PHP is operator for concatenating strings.
To give you a simple example:
$a = "Hello ";
$b = "world";
$c = $a . $b; // the value of $c variable is now "Hello world"
In the lesson in step 2, the dot operator is used just for better formatting of output text by appending ", " after the names. Otherwise it is not necessary.
I hope you now get the idea on how to use dot operator. If you have any additional questions just let me know and I will do my best to answer you.
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Yes, now i understand, thank you!
I've started to learn php yesterday :D so i'm a huge question mark with arms and legs, but thanks to this awesome tut, i actually understand what i'm seeing.
Thanks again 
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I was looking at the other php tutorials but they are way above my level.
Could you point me to more tutorials, similar to yours?
Thank you! |
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You can try this one:
http://www.w3schools.com/php/
I would also suggest that when you learn something new, you always try this in practice by creating a simple example.
If you have any additional questions just let me know.
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Thank you!
If i'll come across any problems, i'll surely ask
Thanks again! |
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Learning PHP is a great choice if you're interested in web development, as PHP is a widely used server-side scripting language that powers many websites and web applications. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started with learning PHP red hat online training platform provides flexibility for professionals to learn at their own pace and from anywhere with an internet connection.
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