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Date: Sat, 2 Jul 2016 09:39:26 -0500
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To: Jeremy Mikola <jmikola@gmail.com>,
 PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] Iterable
From: aaron@trowski.com (Aaron Piotrowski)

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Hi Jeremy,

> On Jun 30, 2016, at 3:01 PM, Jeremy Mikola <jmikola@gmail.com> wrote:
>=20
> Was there any discussion about a special allowance being made for =
stdClass?
>=20
> I've noted the is_iterable(new stdClass) example and ensuing "Object =
Iteration" section:
>=20
> PHP allows any object to be used with foreach. However, iterable does =
not accept any object, only those implementing Traversable. Values =
accepted by iterable should be designed for iteration, not any set of =
values (such as the public properties of an object or a string).
>=20
> I'm on the fence if that second sentence applies to stdClass. Based on =
how users typically end up with stdClass instances (e.g. casting arrays =
to an object, json_decode()), I tend to think of them as logically =
equivalent to associative arrays. To that end, I'd consider stdClass to =
be as "designed for iteration" as any associative array -- if we can =
even say a stdClass was designed at all :)
>=20
> As-is, the RFC requires users to either cast stdClass instances to an =
array or decorate them with an Iterator (e.g. ArrayObject). I find this =
a bit irksome, but it's certainly easy to work around.
>=20
> That said, I realize that voting is in progress and it's not my =
intention to interrupt anything. I just wanted to relay a viewpoint that =
might not have come up.
>=20


Generally when I've seen an object that did not implement Traversable =
used with foreach it has been an error. The exception of course is =
stdClass, particularly because of json_decode(). There was no discussion =
on the list of allowing stdClass, but I did discuss it with some people =
in chat. Our consensus was that a casting to an array was a reasonable =
and simple requirement to allow an instance of stdClass to be iterable. =
I do not think stdClass was designed for iteration, but rather is just =
used this way because of the behavior of foreach. I'd prefer =
json_decode() to return an iterable object... maybe an RFC for another =
day.

Aaron Piotrowski=

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