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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [VOTE] ::class feature to resolve namespaced class
 names to scalars
From: ralph@ralphschindler.com (Ralph Schindler)


> I think the syntax is wired.
> Instead of classname::class I would prefer something like class(classname).
>

I am not a big fan of the syntax class(ShortClass\Name) as to me it 
looks like a function call.

Personally, I like drawing parallels from the same languages that I 
think helped shaped PHP's object-model.  In this case, the Java has a 
similar enough feature where Type.class returns a class object (in our 
case we just need to return a string of the FQ class name).

Your suggestion is similar to that of, I think, C# where 
typeof(SomeClassName) would return a reflection-like/type object where 
you could get the FullName():

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/58918ffs%28v=vs.71%29.aspx

I could go either way, at this point (after the April discussion on the 
matter), I had not really given much thought to class() lang. construct.

Personally, ::class feels a bit better to me in that the context feels 
more "compile-time", like __CLASS__, and the NS resolutions, than does 
class() that you suggest.

 From a wider perspective, I've seen these variations in the wild:

class Foo {
   const CLASSNAME = __CLASS__;
   // or
   const _class = __CLASS__;
}

Which allows for the usage:

   Foo::CLASSNAME;

for example.

FWIW, both reusing the class() keyword making it BC, which is something 
I like.

-ralph