Store CSS in PHP variable? - php

Question

I'm a novice php learner, I was experimenting how to link different php files dynamically. While experimenting, I realize I can create variables in my php files and make my template files echoes out the html I need without editing my template files......
for example:
Within about-me.php page, I have included my header.php and footer.php using
<?php include ('includes/header.html'); ?>
<?php include ('includes/footer.html'); ?>
then I create a variable
$page_title = 'CompanyABC';
and echo out in the header.php
$page_title = 'South Asia Exact';
Now my question is can I do this to my inline css also?
for example, I have create a variable, that store all my inline css:
$page_inlinecss = "#SAEcontentR div#certification_certificate {
margin:0 auto 0 auto;
width:580px;
height:464px;
}\n";
then I echo out in my header.php like so:
<style type="text/css">
<?php echo $page_inlinecss; ?>
</style>
I have tried it and it works, but I want to know is it the right way to do it?

Answer 1

There isn't a right way to do inline CSS
Your code will work, it will produce a valid page, and it will look absolutely fine to the user. BUT you shouldn't do it that way.
So, why shouldn't you do it that way?
Maintainability is the main reason that you shouldn't handle CSS this way. It is far easier to manage a separate CSS file than to pick through PHP code looking for CSS rules to change.
It looks like the data you're storing is static, the point of a variable is to store data that can change. Things like the name of the website (Company ABC) are unlikely to change during the execution of the script, so you should include them in the static HTML template.
On top of this are issues like caching (most browsers cache .css files, saving you bandwidth) and accessibility (screen readers may not know how to deal with inline styles & js).
How should you handle dynamic styles?
One way to handle dynamic styles (that is -- styles based on information which will be different on different page loads) with a combination of PHP and CSS is to define class styles in your external document and then use PHP to apply them.
For example, put this in styles.css:
span.greentext { color: #0f0; }
And this in your PHP file:
<span class='<?php echo ($someCondition) ? "greentext" : null; ?>'>Some text</span>
Or, if you have more styles to handle:
Alternatively, you could load a specific stylesheet upon a condition:
<?php if($someCondition): ?>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles/conditional.css" type="text/css" media="screen">
<?php endif; ?>
Hope this helps, and please don't use inline CSS, or variables, unless necessary. You'll thank yourself for it when you have to change the site 5 months down the line.

Answer 2

Can you do this? Yes.
Should you do this? Ehh. (No. was a bit harsh...)
Better to store the CSS filename in a php variable, then in the header add:
<link rel="stylesheet" href="<?php echo $this_page_style_sheet; ?>" />

Answer 3

There is no right or wrong in this case.
You may store the CSS in a string and echo it as you see fit. Or you may even embed it in your includes/header.html file. It's up to you.
Personally, if it is a collection of CSS rules, I would keep it in its own CSS file, and just echo the filename when needed.
$css_filename = "/path/to/rules.css";
// ... etc etc
<link rel="stylesheet" href="<?php echo $css_filename; ?>">

Answer 4

This is a beauty and a pitfall of the way the system works. You can do that, it works and it doesn't seem to present any immediate and glaring security issues. I don't know if that was an intended use of PHP, but it works so if it fits your situation you can use it. The pitfall comes when enough of these little workarounds are used that eventually a security issue could arise somewhere, but I don't recall CSS ever being used as a vector for an attack.

Answer 5

You can do this to generate dynamic css
file css.php
<?php
header("Content-Type: text/css");
echo 'p {color:red}';
?>
html (not complete but it should work cross browser)
<link rel="stylesheet" href="css.php" type="text/css" />
<p>This should be red</p>

Answer 6

Some more strict/uptight folks might say that proper CSS doesn't need variables, yadda yadda.
Personally I think if this works, then it's a clever way to add some ease-of-use to CSS. I'm all for it.