Question

I have this code,

    <tr>
      <td><?php echo $entry_keyword; ?></td>
      <td><input type="text" name="keyword" value="<?php echo $keyword; ?>" /></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><?php echo $entry_sort_order; ?></td>
      <td><input name="sort_order" value="<?php echo $sort_order; ?>" size="1" /></td>
    </tr>

and I would love to comment both in one shot…but when I try

    <!-- <tr>
      <td><?php echo $entry_keyword; ?></td>
      <td><input type="text" name="keyword" value="<?php echo $keyword; ?>" /></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><?php echo $entry_sort_order; ?></td>
      <td><input name="sort_order" value="<?php echo $sort_order; ?>" size="1" /></td>
    </tr> -->

the page fails – it seems the PHP code is not being commented out… Is there a way to do this?

Answer 1

Instead of using HTML comments (which have no effect on PHP code — which will still be executed), you should use PHP comments:

<?php /*
<tr>
      <td><?php echo $entry_keyword; ?></td>
      <td><input type="text" name="keyword" value="<?php echo $keyword; ?>" /></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><?php echo $entry_sort_order; ?></td>
      <td><input name="sort_order" value="<?php echo $sort_order; ?>" size="1" /></td>
    </tr>
*/ ?>

With that, the PHP code inside the HTML will not be executed; and nothing *(not the HTML, not the PHP, not the result of its non-execution)* will be displayed.

Just one note: you cannot nest C-style [comments][1]… which means the comment will end at the first `*/` encountered.