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Date: Mon, 6 May 2019 10:37:24 -0400
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 <384B1934-FC7A-414D-BC31-E5521B2F0E17@benramsey.com>
To: Ben Ramsey <ben@benramsey.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Proposal for a RFC
From: stevenwadejr@gmail.com (Steven Wade)


> On May 5, 2019, at 10:59 AM, Ben Ramsey <ben@benramsey.com> wrote:
>=20
>=20
>> On May 4, 2019, at 09:58, Steven Wade <stevenwadejr@gmail.com> wrote:
>>=20
>> Hi Internals team!
>>=20
>> I have an idea for a feature that I'd love to see in the language one =
day and wanted to run the idea by you all.=20
>>=20
>> The idea is to add a new magic method "__toArray()" that would allow =
a developer to specifiy how a class is cast to an array. The idea is the =
same mentality of __toString(), but, for arrays.
>>=20
>> I would personally love this feature and those I've run it by were =
also excited by the idea. So I'm soliciting feedback in hopes that =
things go well and I can officially write the RFC. As for =
implementation, Sara Golemon is awesome and while chatting a few months =
back, knocked out a proof-of-concept implementation =
<https://github.com/sgolemon/php-src/tree/experimental.toarray>.  =
There's still work to be done if this proposal gets to the RFC phase, =
but again, just gauging interest here.
>>=20
>> I appreciate any feedback you all can provide.
>>=20
>> Thanks,
>>=20
>> - Steven Wade
>=20
> Using existing language functionality, would it satisfy the similar =
needs if you implement IteratorAggregate and return an ArrayIterator =
from the getIterator() method? Obviously, the (array) cast wouldn=E2=80=99=
t use this, but you could do $object->getIterator()->getArrayCopy().
>=20
> I=E2=80=99m not against the proposal. I=E2=80=99m mainly asking if =
there are other ways in the language today to accomplish similar things. =
I would prefer to see interfaces used over more magic methods (something =
like ArraySerializable).

PHP already has the magic built in. The proposal is really just a way to =
control the magic. We already have "(string) $foo" and "__toString()", =
so the idea of implementing a "__toArray()" method is bringing a feature =
more inline with what's already there.=20

I think it reads easier and cleaner "(array) $foo", and a simpler as a =
developer to implement than a mix of chained methods and interfaces.

That being said, adding an interface like `ArraySerializable` might be =
nice too. I'm seeing technical arguments against adding magic casts, but =
(just spit-balling here), what if a class implemented a new =
`ArraySerializable` interace with whatever method it demands, and if =
that is attempted to be cast to an array either manually by calling =
"(array) $foo" or PHP attempting to, then the array serialize method is =
called. =C2=AF\_(=E3=83=84)_/=C2=AF