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Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2025 18:45:57 +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 18:41, Rob Landers wrote:
>=20
>=20
> 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 an=
other=20
>> type automatically so that I do not need to assign the variable to it=
self.
>>=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 togeth=
er an=20
>> RFC and work on the implementation myself, with guidance from an expe=
rienced=20
>> core developer. I have no experience with C/C++, other than a brief f=
oray=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 =
who=20
>> has made PHP what it is today!=20
>>=20
>> (**Note**: No AI was used in the writing of this message.)
>>=20
>=20
> Hey Seph,
>=20
> This is basically how non-strict mode works; there's no need for a cas=
t. (I very rarely use strict mode, so I was a little confused on why you=
'd ever want to do this)
>=20
> =E2=80=94 Rob

Aaaand, I just discovered ctrl-enter sends the email.

But to continue on with what I was saying, casting is relatively dangero=
us (which is why I stay away from strict mode).

https://3v4l.org/6VvWc#vnull

vs.

https://3v4l.org/1cQ9l#vnull

=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 18:41, Rob Landers wrote:</div=
><blockquote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt" style=3D""><div><br></div><div><br>=
</div><div>On Mon, Jul 7, 2025, at 18:22, Joseph Leedy wrote:</div><bloc=
kquote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt-qt" style=3D""><div>Hello, I'm Joseph, or =
Seph for short. I'm a long time listener, but a&nbsp;</div><div>first-ti=
me caller. I've had an idea rattling around in my noggin for a while&nbs=
p;</div><div>that I'd like your feedback on:</div><div><br></div><div>As=
 a developer, I would like to have variables of one type cast to another=
&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 following:</=
div><div><br></div><div>```php</div><div>$price =3D '5.0123';</div><div>=
...</div><div>$price =3D (float) $price;</div><div><br></div><div>var_du=
mp($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) $price;</=
div><div><br></div><div>var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123`</di=
v><div>```</div><div><br></div><div>If everyone thinks this a good idea,=
 I would be willing to put together an&nbsp;</div><div>RFC and work on t=
he implementation myself, with guidance from an experienced&nbsp;</div><=
div>core developer. I have no experience with C/C++, other than a brief =
foray&nbsp;</div><div>more than twenty years ago, but I am willing to le=
arn.</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 t=
oday!&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>(**Note**: No AI was used in the wr=
iting of this message.)</div><div><br></div></blockquote><div><br></div>=
<div>Hey Seph,</div><div><br></div><div>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)</div><div=
><br></div><div id=3D"qt-sig121229152">=E2=80=94 Rob</div></blockquote><=
div><br></div><div>Aaaand, I just discovered ctrl-enter sends the email.=
</div><div><br></div><div>But to continue on with what I was saying, cas=
ting is relatively dangerous (which is why I stay away from strict mode)=
.</div><div><br></div><div><a href=3D"https://3v4l.org/6VvWc#vnull">http=
s://3v4l.org/6VvWc#vnull</a></div><div><br></div><div>vs.</div><div><br>=
</div><div><a href=3D"https://3v4l.org/1cQ9l#vnull">https://3v4l.org/1cQ=
9l#vnull</a><br></div><div><br></div><div id=3D"sig121229152">=E2=80=94 =
Rob</div></body></html>
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