Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE

[fburn]

I need some help with an error I'm getting using php 5.2.5 running on linux.

I receive an error:

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE, expecting T_STRING or T_VARIABLE or T_NUM_STRING in /var/www/html/inventoryControl/supplier.php on line 26 (line number changed to match code tags)

The code is as follows:

 
// get a supplier using the supplier id
function getSupplier($supplierID = NULL) {
 
    // initialize the supplier to the null
    $supplier = NULL;
 
    // check for NULL arguments
    if (!is_null($supplierID)) {
 
        // get the connection to the database
        $con = db_connect();
 
        // sql select statement 
        $sql = "SELECT * FROM suppliers WHERE supplier_id = '" . $supplierID . "'";
 
        // execute the query
        $result = mysql_query($sql, $con);
 
        if ($record = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
 
            // create empty supplier object
            $supplier = new Supplier;
 
            // set attributes
            $supplier->setSupplierID($supplierID);
            $supplier->setFirstName($record['first_name']);
            $supplier->setLastName($record['last_name']);
            $supplier->setOrganization($record['organization']);
            $supplier->setPhone($record['phone']);
            $supplier->setFax($record['fax']);
            $supplier->setMobile($record['mobile']);
            $supplier->setEmail($record['email']);
            $supplier->setAddress1($record['address1']);
            $supplier->setAddress2($record['address2']);
            $supplier->setCity($record['city']);
            $supplier->setState($record['state']);
            $supplier->setCountry($record['country']);
            $supplier->setPostcode($record['postcode']);
        } // if
 
        // close the database connection
        db_close($con);
    } // if
 
    // return found ? populated supplier : NULL
    return $supplier;
} // getSupplier()

The bit that's dying is any/all of the $supplier->setBlah($record['...']);

Strangely, I have code that is exactly the same in multiple software systems, including this one that are basically identical without the problem. Example of code without parse error:

 
// get an instance of a Customer using the customerID
function getCustomer($customerID = NULL) {
 
     // return value
    $customer = NULL;
 
     // check for null arguments
    if (!is_null($customerID)) {
 
        // get the database connection
        $con = db_connect();
 
        // sql select statement
        $sql = "SELECT * FROM customers WHERE customer_id = '" . $customerID . "'";
 
        // execute the query
        $result = mysql_query($sql, $con);
 
        // check for a result 
        if ($record = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
 
            // create empty customer object
            $customer = new Customer;
 
            // populate attributes
            $customer->setCustomerID($customerID);
            $customer->setFirstName($record['first_name']);
            $customer->setLastName($record['last_name']);
            $customer->setOrganization($record['organization']);
            $customer->setPhone($record['phone']);
            $customer->setFax($record['fax']);
            $customer->setMobile($record['mobile']);
            $customer->setEmail($record['email']);
            $customer->setAddress1($record['address1']);
            $customer->setAddress2($record['address2']);
            $customer->setCity($record['city']);
            $customer->setState($record['state']);
            $customer->setCountry($record['country']);
            $customer->setPostcode($record['postcode']);
            $customer->setTier($record['tier']);
        } // if
 
        // close the database connection
        db_close($con);
    } // if
 
    // return found ? populated customer : NULL
    return $customer;
} // getCustomer()

Anyway, I'm stumped! Help me please!

Finnian Burn

[pbmods]

Heya, Finnian.

I see this sometimes when I mistype a single quote when I need a double quote or vice versa.

Also make sure you don't have an errant quote or backtick (`) somewhere where it doesn't belong.

[fburn]

Heya, Finnian.

I see this sometimes when I mistype a single quote when I need a double quote or vice versa.

Also make sure you don't have an errant quote or backtick (`) somewhere where it doesn't belong.

I've only used single quotes for associative array access and no backticks anywhere. Any other ideas?

I've also cut-and-pasted the code that works ($customer->setBlah[...]) to the supplier method/object and simply renamed the object reference from $customer to $supplier in each instance it is used and still continue to get the error.

Could it be an actual bug in the parsing engine for PHP?

Finnian