Newsgroups: php.internals
Path: news.php.net
Xref: news.php.net php.internals:116158
To: "internals@lists.php.net" <internals@lists.php.net>
Thread-Topic: Allowing `(object)['key' => 'value']` in initializers? 
Thread-Index: AQHXsiErO0Vz7k4CHEy3AX0ZJcoPiw==
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2021 15:45:16 +0000
Message-ID:
 <DM5PR17MB14811B9276E2BC5ADFA347D2F9A59@DM5PR17MB1481.namprd17.prod.outlook.com>
Accept-Language: en-CA, en-US
Content-Language: en-CA
suggested_attachment_session_id: 7b7bf68f-d365-7f28-3910-fc94c21b9e1f
x-tmn:
 [97zF6N1LCI2zl7OBA5FA9ZXV4emepNkbnh8etVxaaQH0HFpcMdnVbUyGYtIwpNpsR/ZCWMIWR64=]
x-ms-publictraffictype: Email
x-ms-office365-filtering-correlation-id: 9bd6389a-21b6-4d66-e8cf-08d9803b789c
x-ms-traffictypediagnostic: DM6PR17MB2796:
x-microsoft-antispam: BCL:0;
x-microsoft-antispam-message-info:
 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
x-ms-exchange-antispam-messagedata-chunkcount: 1
x-ms-exchange-antispam-messagedata-0:
 B93hM+SvUA1JpnVOsGJ2irbFUYZqpOS1tWLw5cQeWuusDa1ZMbMH7wOfhard+t6zHn/xAcig/qxDumTepCVb9Cciv8vGW35CsjGOpelOxwunjnnnjzph3nRBmg329tf8eCrUASmWlXw4PffiqoqEupAEe3EZDcWpZVhJyEMTS0LF/buJEdCUytEkeMsWZhiby+sQ/ji/85OTBUVmNEYhEg==
x-ms-exchange-transport-forked: True
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-OriginatorOrg: sct-15-20-3174-20-msonline-outlook-21df5.templateTenant
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-AuthAs: Internal
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-AuthSource: DM5PR17MB1481.namprd17.prod.outlook.com
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-RMS-PersistedConsumerOrg: 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-Network-Message-Id: 9bd6389a-21b6-4d66-e8cf-08d9803b789c
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-originalarrivaltime: 25 Sep 2021 15:45:16.3641
 (UTC)
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-fromentityheader: Hosted
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-id: 84df9e7f-e9f6-40af-b435-aaaaaaaaaaaa
X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-rms-persistedconsumerorg: 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
X-MS-Exchange-Transport-CrossTenantHeadersStamped: DM6PR17MB2796
Subject: Allowing `(object)['key' => 'value']` in initializers?
From: tysonandre775@hotmail.com (tyson andre)


Hi internals,=0A=
=0A=
In PHP 8.1, it is possible to allow constructing any class name in an initi=
alizer, after the approval of https://wiki.php.net/rfc/new_in_initializers=
=0A=
=0A=
```=0A=
php > static $x1 =3D new ArrayObject(['key' =3D> 'value']);=0A=
php > static $x2 =3D new stdClass();=0A=
php > static $x3 =3D (object)['key' =3D> 'value'];=0A=
=0A=
Fatal error: Constant expression contains invalid operations in php shell c=
ode on line 1=0A=
```=0A=
=0A=
What are your thoughts on allowing the `(object)` cast in initializer types=
 where `new` was already allowed, but only when followed by an array litera=
l node. (e.g. continue to forbid `(object)SOME_CONSTANT`) (see https://wiki=
.php.net/rfc/new_in_initializers)=0A=
=0A=
stdClass has never implemented a factory method such as `__set_state` (whic=
h is not yet allowed). Instead, `(object)[]` or the `(object)array()` short=
hand is typically used when a generic object literal is needed. This is als=
o how php represents objects in var_export.=0A=
=0A=
```=0A=
php > var_export(new stdClass());=0A=
(object) array(=0A=
)=0A=
```=0A=
=0A=
Reasons:=0A=
- The ability to construct empty stdClass instances but not non-empty ones =
is something users would find surprising,=0A=
  and a lack of support for `(object)[]` be even more inconsistent if facto=
ry methods were allowed in the future.=0A=
- stdClass is useful for some developers, e.g. in unit tests, when using li=
braries requiring it for parameters,=0A=
  when you need to ensure data is encoded as a JSON `{}` rather than `[]`, =
etc.=0A=
- It would help developers write a clearer api contract for methods,=0A=
  e.g. `function setData(stdClass $default =3D (object)['key' =3D> 'value']=
)`=0A=
  is clearer than `function setData(?stdClass $default =3D null) { $default=
 ??=3D (object)['key' =3D> 'value']; ` =0A=
- stdClass may be the only efficient built-in way to represent objects with=
 arbitrary names if RFCs such as https://externals.io/message/115800 =0A=
  passed=0A=
=0A=
Thanks,=0A=
Tyson=