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Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2020 11:04:08 -0500
Cc: Marco Pivetta <ocramius@gmail.com>,
 PHP Internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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To: Levi Morrison <levi.morrison@datadoghq.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC - discussion] __toArray()
From: stevenwadejr@gmail.com (Steven Wade)


> Sorry if it's been said in the discussion so far, but I do not see why
> `print_r` should convert anything to an array. It accepts multiple
> kinds of types including strings, numbers, and so on, and I think
> adding this behavior to `print_r` is a different thing than wanting a
> standard way for objects to be converted into arrays.

You=E2=80=99re right, that=E2=80=99s my bad. I swore I tested print_r() =
with a class and __toString() and it cast it, but I just ran it again =
and it just outputs the object. The goal would be to have __toArray() =
behave on arrays like __toString() does on strings. I=E2=80=99ll update =
the RFC to remove the reference to print_r(). Thanks!


> And on that note, what is the motivation for wanting a magic method
> for converting an object into an array? Why not make it an explicit
> operation? I do not see the point of the magic here, except _maybe_
> for adding it to `ArrayObject` or something to allow it to work with
> the array_* functions that work without references, in which case I
> think we think this RFC is the wrong approach as it is inadequate for
> that purpose.

PHP=E2=80=99s pretty magical already, so adding another magic method =
isn=E2=80=99t out of the question and would keep things inline with how =
some things are done already. The idea for having magical casting is to =
make it simpler in the user land for general array behavior when reading =
or looping.=