Variable scopes in Switch statements

[TheQuestioner]

Greetings my fellow coding overlords.

I have slight problem with a PHP page that I am currently coding. I'm trying to determine the value of a specific variable using the SWITCH statement, and then altering the value of this same variable within the SWITCH statement. However I can't seem to change the value. My code is as follows

<?PHP
  //some processing happens here

  //store GET POST value into variable
  //(This should be numeric)
  $intOrder= $_GET["order"];

  //validate passed column val
  switch ($intOrder)
  {		
    case $intOrder==(3||7||9): //other columns
	 break;
			
    case $intOrder==(4||8): //date columns
	 [highlight]$intOrder.=" DESC";[/highlight]
	 break;
			
    //any other value, then default to sort by gallery    
    //description	
    default:
	   $intOrder="4 DESC";
	   break;
  };

  echo $intOrder;
?>

Generally the code works, but if I pass in 4 or 8, I'm expecting it to show

4 DESC

or

8 DESC

but I only get a number returned. Has this got something to do with variable scoping? Or does PHP automatically convert the variable into a number type?

 

[Lrnmore]

TheQuestioner,

Actually I'm just a vassal (not an overlord) around here but I think the answer may be in the grouping like:

  switch ($intOrder)
  {        
    case 3:
    case 7:
    case 9: //other columns
     break;
            
    case 4:
    case 8: //date columns
     $intOrder.=" DESC";
     break;
            
    //any other value, then default to sort by gallery    
    //description    
    default:
       $intOrder="4 DESC";
       break;
  };

http://perl.about.com/od/howtoprograminphp/l/aa092302a.htm

Keep in mind, in a switch statement you are testing a variable not an expression.


Hope it's helpful.

Good Place to "Learn More">>

http://www.w3schools.com

 

[TheQuestioner]

Excellent Lrnmore, this has worked perfectly. I hereby promote you to Overlord.

 

[DRJ478]

Some more background:
The nature of the switch statement is that the expression is only evaluated once, at the top. The individual cases mereley list the possible outcomes, but do not evaluate any expressions. Only if / elseif statements operate that way.
The code works the way Lrnmore suggested by the default that only a break statement will exit the switch. An 'OR' like comparison can be made that way by listing the desired outcomes in successive case statements and exitign after the last of the group with a break.