Hi all,
I'd like to propose adding a `PREG_THROW_ON_ERROR` flag to the `preg_*()`
functions, and gauge interest in that.
Json and `ext/filter` both grew an opt-in way to turn a silent error into
an exception...that is `JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR` and `FILTER_THROW_ON_FAILURE`.
PCRE is the one left out where a failing call is easy to miss. An execution
error for example (e.g. a bad UTF-8) surfaces only if
you call `preg_last_error()` afterwards, and a malformed pattern emits a
warning and returns `false`.
`PREG_THROW_ON_ERROR` would do for PCRE what those two do for their
functions.
Passing it to any `preg_*()` call makes a PCRE error throw a
`Pcre\PcreException` that carries the `PREG_*_ERROR` code and the
`preg_last_error_msg()` text
instead of warning or returning `false`/`null`.
And it covers both kinds: a compilation error (e.g. a malformed pattern)
and an execution error, so opting in means any PCRE failure becomes a
single catchable exception.
Also, `preg_replace()` and `preg_filter()` gain an optional `$flags`
parameter to accept it (the only two without one as far as I know).
Concretely, the check you'd write today:
```
if (preg_match($pattern, $subject, $m) === false) {
throw new RuntimeException(preg_last_error_msg());
}
```
...collapses to:
```
preg_match($pattern, $subject, $m, PREG_THROW_ON_ERROR);
```
First, I'd like to know whether there's interest at all and whether anyone
sees a reason not to add it.
If there is interest, a couple of design questions I'd want the list's read
on:
1. Array subjcets. Currently `preg_last_error()` reflects only the last
element processed, but I'd have the flag throw on the first failing
element rather than keep last-one-wins...does that seem right?
2. Whether `*_ON_ERROR` reads better than `*_ON_FAILURE` given the
existing `preg_last_error()`/`PREG_*_ERROR` vocabulary.
If it seems worth pursuing, I'll write it up as a proper RFC.
Thanks,
Osama
