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Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2020 08:47:13 -0500
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Cc: PHP Internals <internals@lists.php.net>
To: Benjamin Eberlei <kontakt@beberlei.de>
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC - discussion] __toArray()
From: stevenwadejr@gmail.com (Steven Wade)

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>> 3. The weak point of this proposal is the by reference handling for =
sort et al. Counterpoint: if you pass a variable to preg_match, then =
matches gets converted from anything to array, so i believe by reference =
casting should change the original value (https://3v4l.org/XUJ5m =
<https://3v4l.org/XUJ5m>). This is weird, but consistent.
>=20
> The proposal states that =E2=80=9Carray functions that operate on an =
array by reference such as sort or shuffle will not work on an object =
implementing __toArray() under this proposal=E2=80=9D, and IMO that is =
consistent with other magical casting behaviors and I wouldn=E2=80=99t =
expect a class implementing __toArray() to be able to be written or =
referenced like a traditional array.
>=20
> Passing an object with toString by reference will change the original =
variable: https://3v4l.org/77lov <https://3v4l.org/77lov>
Ah, I think I see what you mean. PHP=E2=80=99s making a copy of the =
string variable once it=E2=80=99s cast, so it=E2=80=99s no longer =
referencing the original object that implemented the __toString() =
method. I imagined the __toArray() would function the same. Once the =
cast is called on the object, it=E2=80=99s a new array variable and can =
be acted upon as such. What I was trying to get at was that the magic =
method does not give the ability to write to the original object. If =
that=E2=80=99s not clear then I need to update the RFC.=

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