PHP Shortcode

Based on kukukuan’s Inline PHP plugin, this plugin allows you to embed and run PHP code in posts, pages or widgets with a WordPress shortcode.

Author:	Godfrey Chan (profile at wordpress.org)
WordPress version required:	2.5
WordPress version tested:	2.8.3
Plugin version:	1.3
Added to WordPress repository:	04-08-2009
Last updated:	04-08-2009 Warning! This plugin has not been updated in over 2 years. It may no longer be maintained or supported and may have compatibility issues when used with more recent versions of WordPress.
Rating, %:	0
Rated by:	0
Plugin URI:
Total downloads:	8 200
Active installs:	300+
Click to start download

Based on kukukuan's Inline PHP, this plugin allows you to embed and run PHP code in posts, pages or widgets* with a WordPress shortcode.

(* Requires a shortcode enabled widget plugin, such as Section Widget.)

Usage

The plugin provides two pairs of shortcodes - [php]code[/php] and [echo]code[/echo]. these two pairs of shortcodes resembles the functionality of the <?php code ?> and <?= code ?> tags in a normal PHP script, respectively.

For example:

The answer to the <em>ultimate</em> math challenge, <strong>1+2</strong>, is...
[php]
  $a = 1;
  $b = 2;

  echo $a + $b;
[/php]

Will become:

The answer to the <em>ultimate</em> math challenge, <strong>1+2</strong>, is...
3

The [echo] tag will automatically print the returned value of the first expression. Therefore, [echo]some_function()[/echo] is essentially equivalent to [php]echo some_function()[/php].

Some Important Notes

** This plugin will change the priority of the do_shortcode filter. If you are experiencing any conflict with other shortcode plugins, please disable the plugin and report the problem in the forums. **

Although I said the shortcode pairs resembles a <?php code ?> tag pair, there is an important difference. The PHP code in the shortcodes are executed in a "throw-away" local namespace, instead of the global one. All variables defined in a [php] code [/php] block cannot be accessed outside the block. Therefore, this will not work:

[php]
  $a = 1;
  $b = 2;
[/php]

The answer to the <em>ultimate</em> math challenge, <strong>1+2</strong>, is... [echo]$a+$b[/echo]

And neither would this:

[php]
  $my_array = array('apple','orange');

  foreach($my_array as $fruit):
[/php]

I like [echo]$fruit[/echo]

[php]endforeach;[/php]

To work around the first problem, you may use the global keyword:

[php]
  global $a, $b;
  $a = 1;
  $b = 2;
[/php]

The answer to the <em>ultimate</em> math challenge, <strong>1+2</strong>, is... [php]global $a, $b; echo $a+$b[/php]

And to work around the second problem, you may use "real" PHP closing tags within your [php] code [/php] block to switch between PHP and HTML mode:

[php]
  $my_array = array('apple','orange');

  foreach($my_array as $fruit):
?>

I like <?php echo $fruit; ?>

<?php
  endforeach;
[/php]

(Yes, it is a bit weird... you'd probably want to avoid doing that if possible.)

---