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To: PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
Thread-Topic: [VOTE] var_representation() : readable alternative to
 var_export()
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Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2021 00:38:22 +0000
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Subject: [VOTE] var_representation() : readable alternative to var_export()
From: tysonandre775@hotmail.com (tyson andre)

Hi internals,=0A=
=0A=
Voting has started today on https://wiki.php.net/rfc/readable_var_represent=
ation=0A=
and closes on 2021-02-19.=0A=
=0A=
This RFC proposes introducing a new function `var_representation`=0A=
with the following differences from var_export:=0A=
=0A=
1. `var_representation()` unconditionally returns a string=0A=
2. Use `null` instead of `NULL` - the former is recommended by more coding=
=0A=
   guidelines (https://www.php-fig.org/psr/psr-2/).=0A=
3. Change the way indentation is done for arrays/objects.=0A=
   See ext/standard/tests/general_functions/short_var_export1.phpt=0A=
   (e.g. always add 2 spaces, never 3 in objects, and put the array start o=
n the=0A=
   same line as the key)=0A=
4. Render lists as `"[\n  'item1',\n]"` rather than `"array(\n  0 =3D> 'ite=
m1',\n)"`=0A=
=0A=
   Always render empty lists on a single line, render multiline by default =
when there are 1 or more elements=0A=
5. Prepend `\` to class names so that generated code snippets can be used i=
n=0A=
   namespaces without any issues.=0A=
6. Support `VAR_REPRESENTATION_SINGLE_LINE` in $flags.=0A=
   This will use a single-line representation for arrays/objects.=0A=
7. Escape control characters("\x00"-"\x1f" and "\x7f"(backspace)) inside of=
 double quoted strings=0A=
   instead of single quoted strings with unescaped control characters mixed=
 with ` . "\0" . `.=0A=
=0A=
Thanks,=0A=
-Tyson=