# [Discussion][RFC Idea] Cast Variables by Reference - Thread: https://externals.io/message/127938 - Original archive: https://news-web.php.net/php.internals/127938 - Started by Joseph Leedy on 2025-07-07T16:22:20+00:00 - Messages: 8 - 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 --- ## #127938 — Joseph Leedy — 2025-07-07T16:22:20+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/127938#127938 Hello, I'm Joseph, or Seph for short. I'm a long time listener, but a first-time caller. I've had an idea rattling around in my noggin for a while that I'd like your feedback on: As a developer, I would like to have variables of one type cast to another type automatically so that I do not need to assign the variable to itself. Instead of the following: ```php $price = '5.0123'; ... $price = (float) $price; var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123` ``` What if we could do this instead? ```php $price = '5.0123'; ... (float) $price; var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123` ``` If everyone thinks this a good idea, I would be willing to put together an RFC and work on the implementation myself, with guidance from an experienced core developer. I have no experience with C/C++, other than a brief foray more than twenty years ago, but I am willing to learn. Thank you for your consideration! Also, a huge thank you to everyone who has made PHP what it is today! (**Note**: No AI was used in the writing of this message.) --- ## #127939 — Rob Landers — 2025-07-07T16:41:28+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/127938#127939 · In reply to: #127938 > Hello, I'm Joseph, or Seph for short. I'm a long time listener, but a > first-time caller. I've had an idea rattling around in my noggin for a while > that I'd like your feedback on: > > As a developer, I would like to have variables of one type cast to another > type automatically so that I do not need to assign the variable to itself. > > Instead of the following: > > ```php > $price = '5.0123'; > ... > $price = (float) $price; > > var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123` > ``` > > What if we could do this instead? > > ```php > $price = '5.0123'; > ... > (float) $price; > > var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123` > ``` > > If everyone thinks this a good idea, I would be willing to put together an > RFC and work on the implementation myself, with guidance from an experienced > core developer. I have no experience with C/C++, other than a brief foray > more than twenty years ago, but I am willing to learn. > > Thank you for your consideration! Also, a huge thank you to everyone who > has made PHP what it is today! > > (**Note**: No AI was used in the writing of this message.) > Hey Seph, This is basically how non-strict mode works; there's no need for a cast. (I very rarely use strict mode, so I was a little confused on why you'd ever want to do this) — Rob --- ## #127940 — Rob Landers — 2025-07-07T16:45:57+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/127938#127940 · In reply to: #127939 > > > > > […] > > Hey Seph, > > This is basically how non-strict mode works; there's no need for a cast. (I very rarely use strict mode, so I was a little confused on why you'd ever want to do this) > > — Rob Aaaand, I just discovered ctrl-enter sends the email. But to continue on with what I was saying, casting is relatively dangerous (which is why I stay away from strict mode). https://3v4l.org/6VvWc#vnull vs. https://3v4l.org/1cQ9l#vnull — Rob --- ## #127941 — drealecs@gmail.com — 2025-07-07T16:47:14+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/127938#127941 · In reply to: #127938 On Mon, Jul 7, 2025 at 7:25 PM Joseph Leedy wrote: > > As a developer, I would like to have variables of one type cast to another > type automatically so that I do not need to assign the variable to itself. > > > What if we could do this instead? > > ```php > $price = '5.0123'; > ... > (float) $price; > > var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123` > ``` > > This is valid code now, and does not perform the cast. You need to use a slightly different syntax, maybe `(float)&$price;` that is an error now. -- Alex --- ## #127942 — Joseph Leedy — 2025-07-07T16:50:17+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/127938#127942 · In reply to: #127941 > > You need to use a slightly different syntax, maybe `(float)&$price;` that is an error now. Apologies; I missed the ampersand in my example solution. --- ## #127944 — Joseph Leedy — 2025-07-07T16:57:43+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/127938#127944 · In reply to: #127942 > This is basically how non-strict mode works; there's no need for a cast. (I very rarely > use strict mode, so I was a little confused on why you'd ever want to do this) I always code in strict mode, so I find myself having to cast variables quite often. --- ## #127947 — Claude Pache — 2025-07-07T17:54:49+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/127938#127947 · In reply to: #127938 > Le 7 juil. 2025 à 18:22, Joseph Leedy a écrit : > > Hello, I'm Joseph, or Seph for short. I'm a long time listener, but a > first-time caller. I've had an idea rattling around in my noggin for a while > that I'd like your feedback on: > > As a developer, I would like to have variables of one type cast to another > type automatically so that I do not need to assign the variable to itself. > > Instead of the following: > > ```php > $price = '5.0123'; > ... > $price = (float) $price; > > var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123` > ``` > > What if we could do this instead? > > ```php > $price = '5.0123'; > ... > (float) $price; > > var_dump($price); // Result: `float: 5.0123` > ``` > > If everyone thinks this a good idea, I would be willing to put together an > RFC and work on the implementation myself, with guidance from an experienced > core developer. I have no experience with C/C++, other than a brief foray > more than twenty years ago, but I am willing to learn. > > Thank you for your consideration! Also, a huge thank you to everyone who > has made PHP what it is today! > > (**Note**: No AI was used in the writing of this message.) Hi, There is already a built-in function for that very purpose, namely `settype()`, see: https://www.php.net/settype —Claude --- ## #127948 — Joseph Leedy — 2025-07-07T18:00:32+00:00 URL: https://externals.io/message/127938#127948 · In reply to: #127947 On Mon, Jul 7, 2025, at 11:54, Claude Pache wrote: > Hi, > > There is already a built-in function for that very purpose, namely `settype()`, see: > > https://www.php.net/settype > > > —Claude Thanks, Claude. Over twenty years of PHP development and I didn't know that function exists (or I forgot about it). TIL! Still, this function seems clunkier than a straight cast would be.