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Message-ID: <a6d08adb-198f-4696-3b25-2790480ce1f6@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 27 May 2016 09:27:16 +0100
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC][Vote] Typed Properties
From: rowan.collins@gmail.com (Rowan Collins)

On 26/05/2016 23:03, Lester Caine wrote:
> On 26/05/16 22:38, Rowan Collins wrote:
>>>> // accessing $me->marriage or $me->death returns NULL (because they
>>>>> allow nulls) but raises E_NOTICE
>>> BUT DateTime currently will not store 'null' - it returns 'now' instead.
>>> We end up having to store string or integer values because we can't
>>> store a null date :(
>>
>> That's exactly what ?DateTime is for - "either DateTime or Null", just
>> like in a database.
>>
>> In most type systems, there is no such thing as "a null date" - if it's
>> null, it's not a date, it's a null value.
>
> The exact question here then is in relation to just how one uses
> 'DateTime' in this situation? Or more accurately how one maintains the
> 'or Null' state when the type does not allow null itself?

I don't understand the question.

class Foo { ?DateTime $d }
$f = new Foo;
$f->d = null;
$f->d = new DateTime;

It's either a DateTime, or it's null.

Regards,
-- 
Rowan Collins
[IMSoP]