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Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2025 18:41:28 +0200
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [Discussion][RFC Idea] Cast Variables by Reference
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From: rob@bottled.codes ("Rob Landers")

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On Mon, Jul 7, 2025, at 18:22, Joseph Leedy wrote:
> Hello, I'm Joseph, or Seph for short. I'm a long time listener, but a=20
> first-time caller. I've had an idea rattling around in my noggin for a=
 while=20
> that I'd like your feedback on:
>=20
> As a developer, I would like to have variables of one type cast to ano=
ther=20
> type automatically so that I do not need to assign the variable to its=
elf.
>=20
> Instead of the following:
>=20
> ```php
> $price =3D '5.0123';
> ...
> $price =3D (float) $price;
>=20
> var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123`
> ```
>=20
> What if we could do this instead?
>=20
> ```php
> $price =3D '5.0123';
> ...
> (float) $price;
>=20
> var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123`
> ```
>=20
> If everyone thinks this a good idea, I would be willing to put togethe=
r an=20
> RFC and work on the implementation myself, with guidance from an exper=
ienced=20
> core developer. I have no experience with C/C++, other than a brief fo=
ray=20
> more than twenty years ago, but I am willing to learn.
>=20
> Thank you for your consideration! Also, a huge thank you to everyone w=
ho=20
> has made PHP what it is today!=20
>=20
> (**Note**: No AI was used in the writing of this message.)
>=20

Hey Seph,

This is basically how non-strict mode works; there's no need for a cast.=
 (I very rarely use strict mode, so I was a little confused on why you'd=
 ever want to do this)

=E2=80=94 Rob
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<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><title></title></head><body><div><br></div><d=
iv><br></div><div>On Mon, Jul 7, 2025, at 18:22, Joseph Leedy wrote:</di=
v><blockquote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt" style=3D""><div>Hello, I'm Joseph,=
 or Seph for short. I'm a long time listener, but a&nbsp;</div><div>firs=
t-time caller. I've had an idea rattling around in my noggin for a while=
&nbsp;</div><div>that I'd like your feedback on:</div><div><br></div><di=
v>As a developer, I would like to have variables of one type cast to ano=
ther&nbsp;</div><div>type automatically so that I do not need to assign =
the variable to itself.</div><div><br></div><div>Instead of the followin=
g:</div><div><br></div><div>```php</div><div>$price =3D '5.0123';</div><=
div>...</div><div>$price =3D (float) $price;</div><div><br></div><div>va=
r_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123`</div><div>```</div><div><br><=
/div><div>What if we could do this instead?</div><div><br></div><div>```=
php</div><div>$price =3D '5.0123';</div><div>...</div><div>(float) $pric=
e;</div><div><br></div><div>var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123`=
</div><div>```</div><div><br></div><div>If everyone thinks this a good i=
dea, I would be willing to put together an&nbsp;</div><div>RFC and work =
on the implementation myself, with guidance from an experienced&nbsp;</d=
iv><div>core developer. I have no experience with C/C++, other than a br=
ief foray&nbsp;</div><div>more than twenty years ago, but I am willing t=
o learn.</div><div><br></div><div>Thank you for your consideration! Also=
, a huge thank you to everyone who&nbsp;</div><div>has made PHP what it =
is today!&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>(**Note**: No AI was used in th=
e writing of this message.)</div><div><br></div></blockquote><div><br></=
div><div>Hey Seph,</div><div><br></div><div>This is basically how non-st=
rict mode works; there's no need for a cast. (I very rarely use strict m=
ode, so I was a little confused on why you'd ever want to do this)</div>=
<div><br></div><div id=3D"sig121229152">=E2=80=94 Rob</div></body></html=
>
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