Question

I’m trying to implement a javascript for loop in which a php variable is counting (phpVar++) each loop. However, the variable, which starts at 0, always ends up being 1, even though the loop loops multiple times.

Is this not possible?

<script>
    <?php  $totalMarkers=0; ?>
    for (var i = 0; i < markers.length; i++) {
      <?php $totalMarkers=$totalMarkers+1; ?>
    }
    <?php echo $totalMarkers ?>   //this always prints "1"
</script>

I’m trying to do this so that I can print $totalMarkers in different places in the Body of the HTML.

Answer 1

Javascript is executed on the client computer, PHP is executed on the server. So, your loop does not run until the page is completely loaded in the user’s browser — at that point, no PHP will be executed.

When that page is rendered, this is the process:

<script> <– gets output literally

<?php $totalMarkers=0; ?> <– has no output

for (var i = 0; i < markers.length; i++) { <– is output literally

<?php $totalMarkers=$totalMarkers+1; ?> <– has no output

} < — is output literally

<?php echo $totalMarkers ?> <– outputs 1

</script> <– is output literally

If you were to view source, you would see this:

<script>
    for (var i = 0; i < markers.length; i++) {
    }
    1   //this always prints "1"
</script>