I just though it was worth throwing in this link to the 'debate' on data type
hints and casting ...
http://dyemanov.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/data-type-coercion-vs-comparison-rules.html
While it goes back a little time wise, it flags the SQL standard which while
that is not available to simply view on line ( standards should NOT be a
commodity! ) a search for "Result of data type combinations" brings up a few
other views on the 'problem'.
This is another of those areas where cross database working can produce some
unexpected results, and while using databases with PHP is probably not the
'norm', it does provide another target with which consistent type management can
be compared. But having said that, MySQL probably fails to follow the standard
anyway? In my own case, data from the database normally ends up being returned
as strings but with validity checks having been carried out in the database
engine, so further 'hinting' within PHP would tend to be a little redundant.
--
Lester Caine - G8HFL
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