Question

If this were just a static website, i would have four links

<li><a href="javascript:void(0)">Action 1</a></li>
<li><a href="javascript:void(0)">Action 2</a></li>
<li><a href="javascript:void(0)">Action 3</a></li>
<li><a href="javascript:void(0)">Action 4</a></li>

But in this case the links would need to perform different callbacks, output messages and actions depending on who is clicking them. Right now, due to all this complications i have a very messy page. My code goes like this;

<?php
 foreach ($var as $key) {
?>
  <div class="content">
     <li><a href="javascript:void(0)">Action 1</a></li>
     <li><a href="javascript:void(0)">Action 2</a></li>
       <?php
        if(session check){
             $var1 = the ouptut of some function
             $var2 = the output of another function
                  if(another check) {
           ?> 

                     <li><a href="javascript:void(0)">Action 3 type 1</a></li>

               <?php
                   } else{
                        if($var1 === something){
                  ?>
                            <li><a href="javascript:void(0)" onClick="somefunc()">Action 3 type 2</a></li>
                      <?php
                         } 
                         else {
                          ?>
                            <li><a href="javascript:void(0)" class ="colorlink" onClick="somefunc()">Action 3 type 3</a></li>
                        <?php
                            }
                         }
 /* we are done with action 3 and now moving to action 4. Nb: still in the same session check */
        if($var2 == something){
       ?>
           <li><a href="javascript:void(0)" onClick="somefunc()">Action 4 type 1</a></li>

      <?php
        }else{
       ?>
           <li><a href="javascript:void(0)" style ="colorit"onClick="somefunc()">Action 4 type 2</a></li>
     <?php 
          }
/* Now thats the end of everthing in the session check */
/* This else is for session not active */
 } else{
     <li><a href="javascript:void(0)">Action 3</a></li>
     <li><a href="javascript:void(0)">Action 4</a></li>
     }
    ?>

I’m really sorry about how abysmal the indenting is, i really don’t know how to indent on here.
I was wondering if there’s a better way to restructure the code, it doen’t look as bad when it’s been properly indented.
The options i know of are, firstly,i wrap everything round a php tag and echo out the html but the problem is, it still looks as bad with all the nexted if statements.

The second option is the if:,else:,endif; construct, but that doesn’t make it any better.
This is where i need you brilliant minds, how else i can restructure this code?

Answer 1

You may want to look into a PHP Templating Engine. I use PHPTAL on a lot of projects. Twig (not listed there) is also popular I think, possibly because Symfony is popular.

The goal is to keep PHP code with PHP code and prevent constant breaking in and out of php tags.