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Date: Sun, 23 May 2010 09:10:20 -0400
Cc: Sebastian Bergmann <sb@sebastian-bergmann.de>,
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To: Lukas Kahwe Smith <mls@pooteeweet.org>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Type hinting
From: davey@php.net (Davey Shafik)

On May 23, 2010, at 8:51 AM, Lukas Kahwe Smith wrote:

>=20
> On 23.05.2010, at 14:44, Sebastian Bergmann wrote:
>=20
>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>> Hash: SHA1
>>=20
>> On 05/23/2010 01:08 AM, Ilia Alshanetsky wrote:
>>> any mistmatch results in an error
>>=20
>> An error that is recoverable. So not only is the "strict typing"
>> optional, but "type mismatches" can be caught and handled.
>=20
> again .. are you saying that a recoverable error is more than a way to =
display a nice error message instead of a white screen?
>=20
> anyway, the fundamental question at hand is where the "burden" of =
correct typing should be placed, on the API consumer or on the API =
provider. this also ties in with the question if API consumers are =
likely to have "properly" typed (aka typed in the way the _various_ API =
he consumes expect) by default or not. i think this is the key question =
to answer when deciding to go with enabling type hinting or full out =
strict typing.


We also already have a precedent for type-caring functions in the =
ctype_* functions:

$ php -r 'var_dump(ctype_digit(123), ctype_digit((string) 123));'
bool(false)
bool(true)

ctype_digit() simply returns a false when a non-string is passed in.

Everybody knows you just cast the param to string (as in my second =
call); and with no
help from a notice or error of any kind.

I think if we type-juggle the inputs, and threw a _notice_, people who =
*care* about the
precision of their data, will be informed by the notice and can change =
it. Everyone else
will just get expected behavior for the function with their data.

It might be useful to have some way to figure out that a variable was =
cast however,
is that something we can store in the ZVAL and pull out with a function? =
(only the type
casting that occurs due to this mechanism, not any other). I don't think =
this is useful
enough for any kind of performance hit mind you ;)

- Davey