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/inventoryContro l/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 $supplier->setBlah($recor d['...']);

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