Having an issue with PHP elseif code crashing script - php

Question

I'm having an issue when I enable the code below that it is causing my code to crash. I can't figure out where its crashing but I know if I comment out this portion that it will allow the code to run, just not have the checks ran on the other portions of the form.
if (empty($_POST["SCreq"])) {{
$SCreqERR = "SC requires a Yes or No answer";
} else {
$SCreq = test_input($_POST["SCreq"]);}
// elseif($SCreq = "Yes"; $Email=False)
// $EmailERR = "Email is required for SC"
// elseif ($SCreq = "Yes"; $emaildist1 = "")
// $emaildist1ERR = "First Email Distrobution Group required with SC"
// else {
// $emaildist1 = test_input($_POST["emaildist1"])
}}
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I have everything name, and all is the correct case.

Answer 1

The double-quotes basically start a new block within your "if" block. So, your code could be written like this:
if (empty($_POST["SCreq"])) {
{
$SCreqERR = "SC requires a Yes or No answer";
}
else {
$SCreq = test_input($_POST["SCreq"]);
}
}}
Not only are the brackets unbalanced (there's more closing brackets than opening brackets), the "else" also starts inside the "if" block. Removing the {} inside the "if", you get
if (empty($_POST["SCreq"])) {
else {
$SCreq = test_input($_POST["SCreq"]);
}
}}
which isn't valid (the "else" has to come directly after the "if" block, not within it).
Use proper indenting to catch those mistakes quickly. After each "{", start a new line, and indent your code more. After each "}", start a new line, and indent less. After each block, you need to be at the same indent-level as you were before, otherwise you have extra "{"s or "}". You can either do that manually, or have a good editor that does it for you. This kind of code uses proper indenting, and would be valid:
if (empty($_POST["SCreq"])) {
$SCreqERR = "SC requires a Yes or No answer";
}
else {
$SCreq = test_input($_POST["SCreq"]);
}

Answer 2

Use an IDE to help check that things are nested correctly. Hard to tell with things commented out though but... {{. Also, error logs!
I assume you looked at the documentation? http://php.net/manual/en/control-structures.elseif.php
if ($a > $b) {
echo "a is bigger than b";
} elseif ($a == $b) {
echo "a is equal to b";
} else {
echo "a is smaller than b";
}

Answer 3

elseif($SCreq == "Yes" && $Email == False)
$EmailERR = "Email is required for SC";
elseif ($SCreq == "Yes" && $emaildist1 == "")
$emaildist1ERR = "First Email Distrobution Group required with SC";
else {
$emaildist1 = test_input($_POST["emaildist1"]);}
Condition test is ==
multiple AND condition put &&.
End your statements with ;