dealing with javascript enclosed in a php string

Question

so in such situation you lose the javascript highlight syntax, to me it looks like there are some cases were youre obliged to put the Js in a php string (for example when working on some ajax stuff and php mysql request), how you do? i found very annoying to work js this way

echo '<script>
$(function(){
$("select#discipline_").change(function(){
  var selected = $("select#discipline_ option:selected");

$.ajax({
        url: "valider.php?discipline_val="+selected.val()+"&action=specialite",
        success: function(response){
          $("span#specialite").html(response)
      if( selected.val()=="0" ){
                $("select#specialite_").hide()
                $("span#add").hide()
              }
         else{
           $("select#specialite_").css({width:"0px"}).animate({width:"204px"}, 300).fadeIn()
              $("#add").show()
         } } } ) } )

 })</script>';

Answer 1

<?php if($a==1){ ?>  
    <div id="helloDiv">hi</div>  
<?php } ?>

Answer 2

Generally, it is really preferable to keep large blocks of JavaScript in a separate file.

This also forces one to keep a tidy structure in the JavaScript - splitting things into functions and classes - which is a good thing.

If you are in the PHP body, you can easily break out to HTML:

... PHP code ....
?> 

<script>
 ... Javascript code
</script>

<?php 
... PHP code ....

Answer 3

Like Luis mentioned, that's the best way to do it unless you want to ad \ in front of all ' and "