probably easy php question

grahamor · 02-05-2009 6:25am #1

Hi,

I am making a simple site and want to use php includes for the common elements (header,footer etc)

I also want a navigation include that i can pass a parameter into so it knows what link the active css class should be applied to ..

i.e. if i am on the about us page i want to include the navigation file but tell it to apply the active class to the about us link.

I am sure there is an easy way to do this but im a bit of a novice with php

Thanks in advance

Webmonkey · 02-05-2009 7:54am

Well you could base it on the file name:

[php]

$currentFile = strtolower(basename($_SERVER));

printf("<a class='%s'>About us</a>", $currentFile == "aboutus.php" ? "aboutClass" : "defaultLink" );
[/php]

daymobrew · 03-05-2009 7:31am

Similar idea to Webmonkey.

In my html I have something like:
[PHP]<html>
<head>
<?php include( 'common.php' ); ?>
</head>
<body>
<?php include_menu(); ?>
</body>
[/PHP]
And common.php has:
[PHP]function include_menu() {
$menu = array (
'index.php' => array( 'Home', 'Go back to the home page' ),
'services.php' => array( 'Services', 'See the list of services we provide' ),
'portfolio.php' => array( 'Portfolio', 'See photos of our work' ),
'contact-us.php' => array( 'Contact Us', 'Get in contact with us' ),
);

echo '<div id="menu">', "\n";
foreach ($menu as $page => $info) {
if ( strpos( $_SERVER, $page ) !== false ) {
$link_class = 'class="active"';
} else {
$link_class = '';
}
printf( '<a %s href="/%s" title="%s">%s</a>%s', $link_class, $page, $info[1], $info[0], "\n" );
}
echo '</div>', "\n";
}
[/PHP]
class="active" indicates the active page.

elyod · 03-05-2009 12:02pm

[php]
printf( '<a %s href="/%s" title="%s">%s</a>%s', $link_class, $page, $info[1], $info[0], "\n" );
[/php]

Just out of interest, is there any particular advantage using printf() over something like
[php]
echo "<a $link_class href='$page' title='$info[1]'>$info[0]</a>\n";
[/php]

Obviously a better syntax highlighter would colour the variables to make them stand out.

Webmonkey · 03-05-2009 12:09pm

elyod wrote: »

[php]
printf( '<a %s href="/%s" title="%s">%s</a>%s', $link_class, $page, $info[1], $info[0], "\n" );
[/php]

Just out of interest, is there any particular advantage using printf() over something like
[php]
echo "<a $link_class href='$page' title='$info[1]'>$info[0]</a>\n";
[/php]

Obviously a better syntax highlighter would colour the variables to make them stand out.

I program in C a lot of hence why I use printf. Whatever you want yourself but I can ready the printf's easier.

daymobrew · 03-05-2009 2:21pm

Apparently there is a minute speed difference (with echo being a bit faster).
I used printf to make the code easier to read - it keeps the html code together.

Hydrosylator · 08-05-2009 10:30am

I've used similar code to the array checks above in a few sites.
However, if you want to avoid having to execute php script for the style every time, it can be done with css as well, using a unique div for each page.

So, your contact page would be in a unique div called contact, and so on.
Each link would be given a unique class or id as well, like "contact_link" or whatever

Then your css would be something like

.link{
(regular link css)
}

#home .home_link,
#contact .contact_link,
#about .about_link{
(active link css)
}

This way might be slightly quicker for loading pages, but you might not notice a significant difference.

It's better for sites where the content doesn't change much. If you go adding new links to the nav you have to add new code to the css, as well as the right div to the new page.

probably easy php question

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