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Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2014 10:07:03 +0900
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Subject: Re: Only variables can be passed by reference
From: yohgaki@ohgaki.net (Yasuo Ohgaki)

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Hi all,

On Thu, Dec 4, 2014 at 5:28 PM, Yasuo Ohgaki <yohgaki@ohgaki.net> wrote:

> I think we can get rid of this error now when literal is returned.
> The reason we have E_STRICT error is that legacy PHP didn't
> support this, I suppose.
>
> http://3v4l.org/8fISj
>
> Is it possible to allow literal as referenced parameter for PHP7?
> It's better to remove needless restrictions where it is possible.
> HHVM seems already support this.
>
> http://3v4l.org/t79rF
>
> Any comments?
>

It may be better to focus on return value from functions/methods.

There are cases that return values are better to be treated as usual
variables. For example,

<?php
function f1(&$v) {}
function f2() {$a = array(1,2,3); return $a; }

f1(f2());
?>

http://3v4l.org/2prWX

E_STRICT error here is too much. IMHO.
I think this kind of code should be allowed without errors rather than
forcing users to save return value to variable. e.g.

$v = f2();
f1($v);

Making scalar to array may be stay as it is now.

<?php
function f1(&$v) {}
function f2() {$a = array(1,2,3); return $a; }

// Both are Fatal error: Only variables can be passed by reference
f1((array)f2());
f1(array(f2()));
?>

http://3v4l.org/Ob1o2

HHVM behavior is interesting. It treats return value as usual variable, but
HHVM does not allow casts.

<?php
function f1(&$v) {}
function f2() {$a = array(1,2,3); return $a; }

f1((bool)f2());
?>

http://3v4l.org/J4Q8e

Any comments?

Regards,

--
Yasuo Ohgaki
yohgaki@ohgaki.net

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