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Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2020 23:04:34 +0100
In-Reply-To: <AF92547F-5990-4400-918A-37717C594365@me.com>
Cc: PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
To: Ilija Tovilo <ilija.tovilo@me.com>
References: <AF92547F-5990-4400-918A-37717C594365@me.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] semicolon terminator for switch cases
From: claude.pache@gmail.com (Claude Pache)

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> Le 26 mars 2020 =C3=A0 19:37, Ilija Tovilo <ilija.tovilo@me.com> a =
=C3=A9crit :
>=20
> What's the reasoning behind this? I find it weird an inconsistent.
>=20

This is a manifestly a leftover of an old syntax. Take a look at the =
PHP/FI 2 manual:

Language constructs:
https://www.php.net/manual/phpfi2.php#lang =
<https://www.php.net/manual/phpfi2.php#lang>


```
    <?
      if($a=3D=3D5 &&  $b!=3D0 );
        $c =3D 100 + $a / $b;
      endif;
    >
```

and, in particular, switch construct:
https://www.php.net/manual/phpfi2.php#switch =
<https://www.php.net/manual/phpfi2.php#switch>

```
      <?
          $a=3D0;
          switch($a) {
                case 1;
                  echo "a is 1";
                  break;
                case "hello";
                  echo "a is hello";
                  break;
                default;
                  echo "a is unknown";
                  break;
          }
        >
```

Note that every line of code, including `if (...);` and `case...;`, is =
consistently terminated by a semicolon.

In a subsequent major version, the syntax was modified, and you would =
use a colon instead of a semicolon in a number of places, as you can =
write today:

```
    <?php
      if ($a=3D=3D5 &&  $b!=3D0):
        $c =3D 100 + $a / $b;
      endif;
    >
```

Although the old `if (true);` syntax has been removed (probably because =
of ambiguity or difficulty of parsing), the old `case 1;` syntax could =
be left without issue.

=E2=80=94Claude


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