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Date: Wed, 8 May 2019 10:13:29 -0400
In-Reply-To: <CAJW__o1uANrBOKrQD6X0YJKDwCEi=eMd9gUL36vxe=GvxH1__Q@mail.gmail.com>
Cc: Internals <internals@lists.php.net>
To: Kalle Sommer Nielsen <kalle@php.net>
References: <FB70FDD7-53AA-4DB4-B747-6E109BE52C2E@gmail.com>
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Proposal for a RFC
From: stevenwadejr@gmail.com (Steven Wade)

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Hi Kalle,

> On May 4, 2019, at 12:08 PM, Kalle Sommer Nielsen <kalle@php.net> =
wrote:
>=20
> Hi
>=20
> Den l=C3=B8r. 4. maj 2019 kl. 17.58 skrev Steven Wade =
<stevenwadejr@gmail.com>:
>>=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
>> 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
> While this sounds great and all, I do wonder about the implications it
> may have on the already existing behavior of type casting an object
> into an array which returns current public/protected/private property
> values. While this functionality is not an ideal or by design, it is
> fairly heavily (ab-)used, meaning that it is a potential BC break
> without the ability to an alternative.
>=20
> See this example: https://3v4l.org/ONMoi <https://3v4l.org/ONMoi>

That's a great example, thanks for that. I can understand how casting =
now can be as you say "abused". With my proposal, the default behavior =
wouldn't change unless someone implemented the __toArray() method on =
their class, which would simply give them greater control over how that =
class is represented.

In regards to the output of the example you linked, the same is possible =
today with reflection: https://3v4l.org/Ab51l <https://3v4l.org/Ab51l>

If libraries are using casting to gain insight into objects, it seems =
that they could be updated to use reflection without losing any =
functionality.

--
Regards,

Steven Wade
stevenwadejr@gmail.com




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