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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] coerce() function
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:23:40 +0400
In-Reply-To: <D01140F9-5920-41E0-9FB7-1298881BCED4@rwec.co.uk>
Cc: PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
To: "Rowan Tommins [IMSoP]" <imsop.php@rwec.co.uk>
References: <462A7CF0-71A6-4BFA-B5FE-CDF3E0CCA5E6@gmail.com>
 <D01140F9-5920-41E0-9FB7-1298881BCED4@rwec.co.uk>
From: xepozzd@gmail.com (Dmitry Derepko)


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> On Dec 10, 2025, at 6:00=E2=80=AFPM, Rowan Tommins [IMSoP] =
<imsop.php@rwec.co.uk> wrote:
>=20
> Hi Dmitry,
>=20
> On 10 December 2025 07:42:27 GMT, Dmitry Derepko <xepozzd@gmail.com> =
wrote:
>=20
>> I suggest to add such function to PHP. The examples above may look =
like the following
>>=20
>> $var =3D coerce($input, variants: [=E2=80=9Cyes=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cno=E2=
=80=9D], default: =E2=80=9Cyes=E2=80=9D);
>> $var =3D coerce($input, min: 0, max: 10, default: 5);
>> $var =3D coerce($input, min: 0, max: 10, default: 5);
>>=20
>> For sure, that could be different functions not to introduce another =
overloading function. Or range arguments could be replaced with =
`range(0, 10)` function.
>=20
> My first thought was that the min/max variant would be covered by the =
recently-accepted clamp() function: https://wiki.php.net/rfc/clamp_v2 =
Looking closer, I see that you want to default to a specific value, not =
the nearest, so it's not quite the same.
>=20
> I think combining both tasks into one function is definitely the wrong =
approach. PHP doesn't have function overloading, and although you can =
partially stimulate it with nullable and optional parameters, the whole =
thing ends up very messy compared to just having separate functions.=20
>=20
> Using range() to pass in an array would be less efficient than min and =
max, but maybe good enough for small ranges. Perhaps in future we will =
have a separate "lazy range" type, which could then be handled as a =
special case.
>=20
> In general, I don't think it's a function that I'd use often, but it =
seems a reasonable enough addition to the language.
>=20
> Thanks,
>=20
> Rowan Tommins
> [IMSoP]


Thanks for your thoughts.

I agree that it=E2=80=99s better to have a few separate functions for =
different use cases.

Regarding the lazy ranges, basically, it=E2=80=99s kind of `iterable`, =
but with bounds.=20
I think it could be done as the others are: new IntRangeIterator(start: =
0, end: 10, inclusive: true) / or as a new function range_iterator / or =
as a new flag argument in the original range function.
So, there are could be a function with:
- manual range bounds
=E2=80=94 strings
=E2=80=94 ints
=E2=80=94 enums?
- iterator range bounds
=E2=80=94 IntRangeIterator(start: 0, end: 10, inclusive: true)
=E2=80=94 CharRangeIterator(start: =E2=80=98A', end: =E2=80=98D', =
inclusive: true)
=E2=80=94 Any other `iterable`, including Generators and regular arrays

Actually, looks quite reasonable to re-use iterables. Nice catch, I =
really like it.

----------

Best regards,
Dmitrii Derepko.
@xepozz


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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: =
after-white-space;"><br><div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>On Dec 10, =
2025, at 6:00=E2=80=AFPM, Rowan Tommins [IMSoP] =
&lt;imsop.php@rwec.co.uk&gt; wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><div><div>Hi Dmitry,<br><br>On 10 =
December 2025 07:42:27 GMT, Dmitry Derepko &lt;xepozzd@gmail.com&gt; =
wrote:<br><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">I suggest to add such function =
to PHP. The examples above may look like the following<br><br>$var =3D =
coerce($input, variants: [=E2=80=9Cyes=E2=80=9D, =E2=80=9Cno=E2=80=9D], =
default: =E2=80=9Cyes=E2=80=9D);<br>$var =3D coerce($input, min: 0, max: =
10, default: 5);<br>$var =3D coerce($input, min: 0, max: 10, default: =
5);<br><br>For sure, that could be different functions not to introduce =
another overloading function. Or range arguments could be replaced with =
`range(0, 10)` function.<br></blockquote><br>My first thought was that =
the min/max variant would be covered by the recently-accepted clamp() =
function: https://wiki.php.net/rfc/clamp_v2 Looking closer, I see that =
you want to default to a specific value, not the nearest, so it's not =
quite the same.<br><br>I think combining both tasks into one function is =
definitely the wrong approach. PHP doesn't have function overloading, =
and although you can partially stimulate it with nullable and optional =
parameters, the whole thing ends up very messy compared to just having =
separate functions. <br><br>Using range() to pass in an array would be =
less efficient than min and max, but maybe good enough for small ranges. =
Perhaps in future we will have a separate "lazy range" type, which could =
then be handled as a special case.<br><br>In general, I don't think it's =
a function that I'd use often, but it seems a reasonable enough addition =
to the language.<br><br>Thanks,<br><br>Rowan =
Tommins<br>[IMSoP]<br></div></div></blockquote></div><br><div><br></div><d=
iv>Thanks for your thoughts.</div><div><br></div><div>I agree that =
it=E2=80=99s better to have a few separate functions for different use =
cases.</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the lazy ranges, basically, =
it=E2=80=99s kind of `iterable`, but with bounds.&nbsp;</div><div>I =
think it could be done as the others are: new IntRangeIterator(start: 0, =
end: 10, inclusive: true) / or as a new function range_iterator / or as =
a new flag argument in the original range function.</div><div>So, there =
are could be a function with:</div><div>- manual range =
bounds</div><div>=E2=80=94 strings</div><div>=E2=80=94 =
ints</div><div>=E2=80=94 enums?</div><div>- iterator range =
bounds</div><div>=E2=80=94 IntRangeIterator(start: 0, end: 10, =
inclusive: true)</div><div>=E2=80=94 CharRangeIterator(start: =E2=80=98A',=
 end: =E2=80=98D', inclusive: true)</div><div>=E2=80=94 Any other =
`iterable`, including Generators and regular =
arrays</div><div><br></div><div>Actually, looks quite reasonable to =
re-use iterables. Nice catch, I really like it.</div><div><div><div =
dir=3D"auto" style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: =
space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><br>----------<br><br>Best =
regards,<br>Dmitrii =
Derepko.<br>@xepozz<br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></body></htm=
l>=

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