Newsgroups: php.internals
Path: news.php.net
Xref: news.php.net php.internals:121366
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Mime-Version: 1.0 (1.0)
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:11:03 +0900
Message-ID: <BBBD7DD5-127F-4578-AEF3-1FC6FAC3E811@sakiot.com>
References: <CAB_ngDi2bEWYxWF+XMmGHXty5hH44=DepdisOQX9hcGLmz0w9A@mail.gmail.com>
Cc: Levi Morrison via internals <internals@lists.php.net>
In-Reply-To: <CAB_ngDi2bEWYxWF+XMmGHXty5hH44=DepdisOQX9hcGLmz0w9A@mail.gmail.com>
To: Brandon Jackson <brandonja991@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Two new functions array_first() and array_last()
From: saki@sakiot.com (Saki Takamachi)

Since reset() and end() return false when the array is empty, in a sense, th=
ere is an idea that there is no need to take such strict care of the return v=
alue.

If you were to take proper care, you would probably specify a default value o=
r throw an exception, as has already been suggested. However, specifying a d=
efault value is not very smart in my opinion.

The fact that what value is considered to be "unable to obtain" changes depe=
nding on the situation causes some complexity. And when dealing with an arra=
y whose values =E2=80=8B=E2=80=8Bare completely unknown, it becomes necessar=
y to "hope" that the values =E2=80=8B=E2=80=8Bdo not conflict with the defau=
lt values.

Can the following signature meet your requirements? Or will it become too co=
mplicated?

```
// arrar_first(array $arr, bool &$has_value)
$value =3D array_first($arr, $has_value);
if ($has_value) {
    // array has items
    // $value is mixed
} else {
    // array is empty
    // $value =3D=3D=3D null
}
```

Regards.

Saki=