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Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:41:51 +0900
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Subject: Re: Alternative mbstring implementation using ICU
From: mozo@mozo.jp (Moriyoshi Koizumi)

I set up a RFC page for this in wiki.php.net.  Here it goes:
http://wiki.php.net/rfc/altmbstring

Moriyoshi

2009/7/26 Moriyoshi Koizumi <mozo@mozo.jp>:
> Hi there,
>
> I almost finished an alternative implementation of mbstring that uses
> ICU instead of the exotic libmbfl in hope of replacing the current one
> for 5.4 (and possibly, 6.0.)
>
> Although there are admittingly some known incompatibilities that need
> extra libraries to resolve them besides a number of missing functions
> that are intentionally removed for simplicity's sake, frequently used
> functions are fully usable, and more compliant with the standard (e.g.
> case insensitive matches).
>
> Any comments are appreciated.
>
> The source is ready in the following location:
>
> http://github.com/moriyoshi/mbstring-ng/
>
>
> Implemented functions:
>
> - mb_convert_encoding()
> - mb_detect_encoding()
> - mb_ereg()
> - mb_ereg_replace()
> - mb_internal_encoding()
> - mb_list_encodings()
> - mb_output_handler()
> - mb_parse_str()
> - mb_preferred_mime_name()
> - mb_regex_set_options()
> - mb_split()
> - mb_strcut()
> - mb_strimwidth()
> - mb_stripos()
> - mb_stristr()
> - mb_strlen()
> - mb_strpos()
> - mb_strripos()
> - mb_strrpos()
> - mb_strstr()
> - mb_strtolower()
> - mb_strtotitle()
> - mb_strtoupper()
> - mb_strwidth()
> - mb_substr()
> - mb_substr_count()
>
> Removed functions and reasons behind it:
>
> - mb_check_encoding()
> =A0Not that usable as it is advertised, period. =A0First of all, validati=
on
> =A0in terms of encoding is just as same as filtering through the
> =A0converter supplied with the same value for the input and output
> =A0encoding. =A0Thus just use mb_convert_encoding().
>
> - mb_convert_case()
> =A0Use mb_strtoupper(), mb_strtolower() and mb_strtotitle()
>
> - mb_convert_kana()
> =A0This can't be standard-compliant. In addition, part of the
> =A0functionality is already covered by Normalizer of intl extension, so
> =A0we need to carefully consider what is actually needed here again.
>
> - mb_convert_variables()
> =A0This can be implemented as a script.
>
> - mb_decode_mimeheader(), mb_encode_mimeheader()
> =A0Non-standard compliancy.
>
> - mb_decode_numericentity()
> =A0Removed in favor of html_entity_decode().
>
> - mb_encode_numericentity()
> =A0Removed in favor of htmlentities() and htmlspecialchars().
>
> - mb_encoding_aliases()
> =A0Just unnecessary.
>
> - mb_ereg_match()
> =A0Use mb_ereg().
>
> - mb_ereg_search(), mb_ereg_search_getpos(), mb_ereg_search_getregs(),
> =A0mb_ereg_search_init(), mb_ereg_search_pos(), mb_ereg_search_regs() and
> =A0mb_ereg_search_setpos()
> =A0I rarely heard a script that actively uses these functions. They
> =A0involve an internal state that is not visible to users, and thus it
> =A0most likely causes confusion when used across the function calls.
> =A0Need to be reimplemented as a class.
>
> - mb_eregi()
> =A0Use mb_regex_options() and mb_ereg()
>
> - mb_eregi_replace()
> =A0I wonder why this function was added in the first place because giving
> =A0'i' option to mb_ereg_replace() works in the same way.
>
> - mb_detect_order(), mb_get_info(), mb_http_input(), mb_http_output(),
> =A0mb_language() and mb_substitute_character()
> =A0ini_set() and ini_get() are your friend, I guess...
>
> - mb_regex_encoding()
> =A0It is really confusing that the current mbstring allows two different
> =A0encoding defaults that are applied to regex functions and the rest.
> =A0Those settings are unified in the alternative version and so this is
> =A0no longer necessary.
>
> - mb_send_mail()
> =A0The behavior of this function relies on the pseudo-locale setting
> =A0called "mbstring.language" that supports just a limited set of
> =A0possible locales. As not everyone can benefit from the function and
> =A0most significant applications implement their own mail functions, I
> =A0suppose this is no longer wanted.
>
> - mb_strrchr()
> =A0Use mb_strrpos().
>
> - mb_strrichr()
> =A0Use mb_strripos().
>
>
> Known limitations and incompatibilities:
>
> - mb_detect_encoding() doesn't work well anymore due to the
> =A0inaccuracy of ICU's encoding detection facility.
>
> - Request encoding translator now takes advantage of SAPI filter,
> =A0therefore the name parts of the query components are not to be
> =A0converted anymore.
>
> - The group reference placeholders for mb_ereg_replace() is now
> =A0$0, $1, $2... instead of \0, \1, \2. =A0This can be avoided if we
> =A0don't use uregex_replaceAll() and implement our own.
>
> - ILP64 :-p
>
>
> Regards,
> Moriyoshi
>
>
>