From: php at pollensoft dot com Operating system: Gentoo Linux PHP version: 4.3.11 PHP Bug Type: Scripting Engine problem Bug description: Return by reference is redundant
Description: ------------ This is a feature request. Return by reference is redundant, see code examples below. In order to return by reference, you must assign by reference. Return by reference syntax has no effect on what is returned. Understanding that this is the expected behaviour ($me->RTFM() == true), one or the other should be sufficient to retrieve by reference. if `get` is executed with or without the return by reference definition `function &get()` the result is the same (it's always a reference). `function &functionName()` does nothing unless the assignment is by reference -- ever. When doing this in an OOP method, `&functionName()` should be all that is necessary to return the reference to ensure that a developer using a class doesn't need to remember to assign the value as a reference. We mind as well use the language structures you've provided us with :) I would suggest either making it work or removing return by reference from all of the documentation.. See also http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=9453. http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=29877 Reproduce code: --------------- class A { function A() { $this->arr = array(); } function &getref() { return $this->arr; } function getval() { return $this->arr; } } $b = new A; $c =& $b->getref(); // $c = reference (expected) $c =& $b->getval(); // $c = reference (expected) $c = $b->getval(); // $c = value (expected) $c = $b->getref(); // $c = value (redundant) -- Edit bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=33510&edit=1 -- Try a CVS snapshot (php4): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=trysnapshot4 Try a CVS snapshot (php5.0): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=trysnapshot50 Try a CVS snapshot (php5.1): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=trysnapshot51 Fixed in CVS: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=fixedcvs Fixed in release: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=alreadyfixed Need backtrace: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=needtrace Need Reproduce Script: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=needscript Try newer version: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=oldversion Not developer issue: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=support Expected behavior: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=notwrong Not enough info: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=notenoughinfo Submitted twice: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=submittedtwice register_globals: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=globals PHP 3 support discontinued: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=php3 Daylight Savings: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=dst IIS Stability: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=isapi Install GNU Sed: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=gnused Floating point limitations: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=float No Zend Extensions: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=nozend MySQL Configuration Error: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33510&r=mysqlcfg
