html code within php code?

How can I insert HTML code from within a php statement?

eg

if validation
{
html code snippet to display message
}else{
HTML Code snippet to display error page
}
}

if (validation)
{
echo '<p>Lookin\' good.</p>';
}
else
{
echo '<p>There was an error.</p>';
}

what if I wanted in include a large ammount of html instead of just a single line that also included inline php?

what if I wanted in include a large ammount of html instead of just a single line that also included inline php?
Here's a chunk of some of my own code to give you an idea of how that would look:

$the_body .= '<div id="itemized">

<div id="item_left">';

foreach ($item_array as $key => $val)
{
$the_body .= '<p class="line2">'.$item_array[$key]['quantity'].' '.$item_array[$key]['description'].'</p>';
}

$the_body .= '<p class="line"> </p>
<p class="line2">Subtotal</p>
<p class="line2">Sales Tax</p>';

if ($pickup == "NO")
{
$the_body .= '<p class="line2">Shipping Cost';

if (!empty($shipping_comp))
{
$the_body .= ' <span style=\'color:red\'>('.$shipping_comp.')</span>';
}

$the_body .= '</p>';
}

$the_body .= '<p class="line2">Handling Cost</p>
<p class="line"> </p>
<p class="line2">Total</p>

</div>

<div id="item_right">';

$subtotal = 0;
foreach ($item_array as $key => $val)
{
settype($item_array[$key]['price'],"float");
settype($item_array[$key]['quantity'],"integer");

$the_body .= '<p class="line2">$'.number_format($item_array[$key]['price'],2).' each</p>';

$subtotal += ($item_array[$key]['price'] * $item_array[$key]['quantity']);
}

$tax = round($subtotal * 0.07, 2);
settype($shipping_cost,"float");

$target_earnings = $subtotal + $tax + $shipping_cost;

if ($country == "United States")
{
$total_charge = round(($target_earnings + 0.30)/0.971, 2);
}
else
{
$total_charge = round(($target_earnings + 0.30)/0.961, 2);
}

$handling_cost = $total_charge - $target_earnings;

$the_body .= '<p class="line"> </p>';
$the_body .= '<p class="line2">$'.number_format($subtotal,2).'</p>';
$the_body .= '<p class="line2">$'.number_format($tax,2).'</p>';

if ($pickup == "NO")
{
$the_body .= '<p class="line2">$'.number_format($shipping_cost,2).'</p>';
}

$the_body .= '<p class="line2">$'.number_format($handling_cost,2).'</p>';
$the_body .= '<p class="line"> </p>';
$the_body .= '<p class="line2">$'.number_format($total_charge,2).'</p>';

$the_body .= '</div>

<div style="clear:both;height:45px"> </div>

</div>';

If you replace every instance of "$the_body .=" with "echo", you should get the idea...

If HTML is in abundance and you only need to include the occasional bit of PHP, an easier way is to break in and out of PHP as required.


<?php if validation { ?>

html code snippet <?php inline ?> to display message

<?php } else { ?>

HTML Code snippet to display error page

<?php } ?>

If HTML is in abundance and you only need to include the occasional bit of PHP, an easier way is to break in and out of PHP as required.


<?php if validation { ?>

html code snippet <?php inline ?> to display message

<?php } else { ?>

HTML Code snippet to display error page

<?php } ?>


I suppose that makes it easier to read, but it also depends on how much "inline PHP" you have...if you have large chunks of HTML code only, than using <? ?> makes more sense than echoing out everything. If you find that you have a lot of "inline PHP", then either way can work, depending on your preference.