# Null-safe property access in interpolated strings - Thread: https://externals.io/message/111383 - Original archive: https://news-web.php.net/php.internals/111383 - Started by Sara Golemon on 2020-08-08T22:17:35+00:00 - Messages: 10 - Reply by email to internals@lists.php.net - More for agents: search with https://externals.io/search.md?q={query} · JSON API at https://externals.io/api · documentation at https://externals.io/llms.txt --- ## #111383 — Sara Golemon — 2020-08-08T22:17:35+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111383 Do we expect this to work? $foo = new stdClass; $foo->bar = "Hello"; echo "$foo?->bar world\n"; Because at the moment it doesn't: https://3v4l.org/nLv3l -Sara --- ## #111386 — Marco Pivetta — 2020-08-09T03:47:48+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111386 · In reply to: #111383 > Do we expect this to work? > > $foo = new stdClass; > $foo->bar = "Hello"; > echo "$foo?->bar world\n"; > > Because at the moment it doesn't: https://3v4l.org/nLv3l > > -Sara > Ooof, people still interpolate strings that way? Good riddance if it doesn't work: this code is questionable (and not just because of the question mark in it) 👍 --- ## #111389 — Yousuf Tafhim — 2020-08-09T11:49:22+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111389 · In reply to: #111386 What are the good uses cases for this to work? > > > > […] > > Ooof, people still interpolate strings that way? > > Good riddance if it doesn't work: this code is questionable (and not just > because of the question mark in it) 👍 --- ## #111398 — Ilija Tovilo — 2020-08-09T18:32:50+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111398 · In reply to: #111383 Hi internals > Do we expect this to work? > > $foo = new stdClass; > $foo->bar = "Hello"; > echo "$foo?->bar world\n"; > > Because at the moment it doesn't: https://3v4l.org/nLv3l The patch can be found here: https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/5966 It adds ~5 lines to the lexer. As mentioned, there is a BC break although it is probably very small (I could find no code that breaks on grep.app). Because this BC break was never mentioned in the RFC I'm leaning towards not merging this patch but I am happy either way. Let's hear from a few more people what they think until we decide how to move forward. Ilija --- ## #111399 — Jordi Boggiano — 2020-08-09T18:34:24+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111399 · In reply to: #111383 > Do we expect this to work? > > $foo = new stdClass; > $foo->bar = "Hello"; > echo "$foo?->bar world\n"; > > Because at the moment it doesn't: https://3v4l.org/nLv3l > > -Sara Can't say I'm big on interpolation but I'd definitely expect this to work because why not? I think if it can be reasonably fixed it probably would make sense for consistency and WTF-avoidance if anything. Best, Jordi -- Jordi Boggiano @seldaek - https://seld.be --- ## #111401 — Deleu — 2020-08-09T19:00:14+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111401 · In reply to: #111399 I like and make use of interpolation, but I can't think of a use case for this. Is there any valid use case that would benefit from this fix regardless of personal preference? In other words, where would one use string interpolation with an empty string being a valid case? > > > […] > > Can't say I'm big on interpolation but I'd definitely expect this to > work because why not? > > I think if it can be reasonably fixed it probably would make sense for > consistency and WTF-avoidance if anything. > > Best, > Jordi > > -- > Jordi Boggiano > @seldaek - https://seld.be > > -- > > To unsubscribe, visit: https://www.php.net/unsub.php --- ## #111420 — Nikita Popov — 2020-08-10T10:33:22+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111420 · In reply to: #111399 > > > […] > > Can't say I'm big on interpolation but I'd definitely expect this to > work because why not? > > I think if it can be reasonably fixed it probably would make sense for > consistency and WTF-avoidance if anything. > > Best, > Jordi > Agree. I don't think the question of whether it is useful should come into this, it's a matter of language consistency. There could be some leeway here if we say that we have plans to deprecate the "$x->y" syntax in the future anyway and don't want to extend it anymore -- but I don't believe we have such plans at the present time. Nikita --- ## #111421 — Philip Hofstetter — 2020-08-10T11:02:16+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111421 · In reply to: #111399 Hi, > Can't say I'm big on interpolation but I'd definitely expect this to > work because why not? A reason why not is because it will break backwards compatibility with existing (though admittedly unlikely) code which also can't be fixed by easy search and replace: $foo = "gnegg"; echo "$foo?->bar()" would be fine in PHP < 8 and would blow up with `Uncaught Error: Call to a member function bar() on string` with this change. I'm not saying this is a problem because code like this is unlikely to be written, but it *is* a BC break. Philip --- ## #111441 — Ilija Tovilo — 2020-08-10T15:06:50+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111441 · In reply to: #111420 Hi Nikita > > […] > > Agree. I don't think the question of whether it is useful should come into > this, it's a matter of language consistency. There could be some leeway > here if we say that we have plans to deprecate the "$x->y" syntax in the > future anyway and don't want to extend it anymore -- but I don't believe we > have such plans at the present time. So for the sake of consistency let's merge this then. As mentioned, the BC break should be very very small. A few people have mentioned they didn't expect it to work but when asked again they didn't feel strongly about it. Unless there are objections I will merge this tomorrow. A review of the PR would also be welcome. Ilija --- ## #111447 — bjorn.x.larsson@telia.com — 2020-08-10T21:43:04+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/111383#111447 · In reply to: #111441 Hi Ilija, Den 2020-08-10 kl. 17:06, skrev Ilija Tovilo: > Hi Nikita > > > […] > So for the sake of consistency let's merge this then. As mentioned, > the BC break should be very very small. A few people have mentioned > they didn't expect it to work but when asked again they didn't feel > strongly about it. > > Unless there are objections I will merge this tomorrow. A review of > the PR would also be welcome. > > Ilija I second Nikitas opinion that consistency is important here. One shouldn't need to spend time as an PHP end user wondering why we have a special case that doesn't work like the rest! Good luck with merging. r//Björn L