Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=63865&edit=1
ID: 63865 Updated by: krak...@php.net Reported by: petermiller1986 at gmail dot com Summary: php unset local reference affecting global scope -Status: Open +Status: Closed Type: Bug Package: *General Issues Operating System: ubuntu 10.04 PHP Version: 5.3.20 -Assigned To: +Assigned To: krakjoe Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: You set the data in the global scope with the return of the function. Your unset function does not receive the array by reference. See the code below, commenting out the reference makes no difference. <?php function should_not_alter($in) { $in_ref = &$in['level1']; //try commenting out this line to see the output change should_only_unset_locally($in); return $in; } function should_only_unset_locally(&$in) { unset($in['level1']['level2_0']); } $data[0] = array( 'level1' => array( 'level2_0' => 'first value', 'level2_1' => 'second value' ) ); $data[1]=should_not_alter($data[0]); print_r($data); ?> Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2012-12-28 04:53:56] petermiller1986 at gmail dot com Description: ------------ i have come across some very strange php behaviour. an unset which should occur within local scope is affecting the scope of the caller function. if you run the test script you will see that the value 'first value' has been unset from the $data array in the global scope. however if you comment out the $in_ref =& $in['level1']; line then the result changes (and it shouldn't i think). is this intended behaviour of php or a bug? Test script: --------------- <?php function should_not_alter($in) { $in_ref =& $in['level1']; //try commenting out this line to see the output change should_only_unset_locally($in); return $in; } function should_only_unset_locally($in) { unset($in['level1']['level2_0']); } $data = array('level1' => array('level2_0' => 'first value', 'level2_1' => 'second value')); $data = should_not_alter($data); print_r($data); ?> Expected result: ---------------- Array ( [level1] => Array ( [level2_0] => first value [level2_1] => second value ) ) Actual result: -------------- Array ( [level1] => Array ( [level2_1] => second value ) ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=63865&edit=1