How about implementing more data structures (ie Map, Set)

Dear all:

I would like to get your feedback on implementing some more data structure in the PHP core.

Things like Set, Map could be really helpful.

A Set would be an unordered collection with no duplicate elements (same as in Python)

$setA = new Set();
$setA->append('a');
$setA->append('a');

$setB = new Set();
$setB->append('b');

$setA == $setB;

// A set can hold objects
$set->append($object);

A Map would be an associative array that can hold objects (same as Python dictionaries)

$map= new Map();

$map[$setA] = 'Hello, world!';
echo $maps[$setB]; // Hello, world !

Most of what you're looking for can be accomplished by implementing ArrayAccess in your own classes, or using the ArrayObject generically like so:

php > $obj = new ArrayObject(array());
php > $obj->append('some string');
php > $obj->append(new ArrayObject(array()));
php > var_dump($obj[1]);
class ArrayObject#4 (0) {
}
php > var_dump($obj[0]);
string(11) "some string"

For the duplicate issue you're referring to, you'd need to implement your own methods for removing (e.g. array_unique).

I can not really help with the implementation, however I could help defining the API, creating a test suite and docs should this idea be accepted.

Note: I had to implement this in PHP while working on Automaton, it's tedious and inefficient.

Thanks for your feedback,
Victor

Dear all:

I would like to get your feedback on implementing some more data structure
in the PHP core.

Things like Set, Map could be really helpful.

A Set would be an unordered collection with no duplicate elements (same as
in Python)

$setA = new Set();
$setA->append('a');
$setA->append('a');

$setB = new Set();
$setB->append('b');

$setA == $setB;

// A set can hold objects
$set->append($object);

A Map would be an associative array that can hold objects (same as Python
dictionaries)

$map= new Map();

$map[$setA] = 'Hello, world!';
echo $maps[$setB]; // Hello, world !

I can not really help with the implementation, however I could help
defining the API, creating a test suite and docs should this idea be
accepted.

Note: I had to implement this in PHP while working on Automaton, it's
tedious and inefficient.

Thanks for your feedback,
Victor

Cool !

I recall some people have already talked about that in the past, have you
read about this ?
So, the process is always the same : wait for ppl feedback, write an RFC,
create patches, test&debug, call for vote, etc.. :-)

Julien.P

Dear all:

I would like to get your feedback on implementing some more data
structure in the PHP core.
(...)

I think this could be summarised as "allow objects as keys for arrays".
Which would give the Map behavior.
Implementing Set from that is straightforward.