From: zola at zolaweb dot com
Operating system: Windows
PHP version: 4.4.2
PHP Bug Type: Scripting Engine problem
Bug description: handling of the string NULL
Description:
------------
Two issues with NULL, one with setting NULL as a string containing the
letters NULL, and, when one has successfully set the variable to the word
NULL, it getting interpreted differently depending on whether the value is
enclosed in single quotes or not.
I do apologize for not being able to check against the latest version,
unfortunately it's not possible to get my host to update until they are
damn well ready to, but I did not see this issue reported in the bug
reports and thus I think it's worth mentioning.
Reproduce code:
---------------
I had a form that had several values that didn't have to be set. I wanted
to use the word "NULL" as a word (as opposed to the NULL constant) to go
into the SQL statement when creating a new record.
If I do a check based on the variable having no value:
if ($array['var'] == "")
{
$array['var'] = "NULL";
}
Then $array['var'] contains the word "NULL" the way I want it to, BUT I
have to be careful with the sql statement (more on this in a moment)
On the other hand, if I check via !isset()
if (!isset($array['var']))
{
$array['var'] = "NULL";
}
It treats NULL as the constant and unsets the variable.
In the SQL, if I am inserting and put it in as is:
$sql = "INSERT INTO mytable VALUES(NULL, ".$array['var'] .", '
".$array['some_other_var'] ." ',)";
the word NULL replaces $array['var'] as it should, but if I enclose the
variable in single quotes (because maybe that variable, if it's set, will
contain a space)
$sql = "INSERT INTO mytable VALUES(NULL, ' ".$array['var'] ." ', '
".$array['some_other_var'] ." ',)";
again, it treats NULL as the constant NULL instead of the word.
Expected result:
----------------
I would expect that if I am using the string NULL, it will not be treated
as the constant NULL, or at the least for the behavior to be
consistent--that it will ALWAYS treat it as the constant NULL instead of
treating it one way when it isn't enclosed and another way when it is.
Actual result:
--------------
in isset:
$array['var'] is not set to anything
in the other example
$array['var'] contains the word NULL
The first sql line resolves to
INSERT INTO mytable VALUES(NULL, NULL, 'some_value')";
The second resolves to
INSERT INTO mytable VALUES(NULL, '', 'some_value')";
--
Edit bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=36019&edit=1
--
Try a CVS snapshot (PHP 4.4):
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=trysnapshot44
Try a CVS snapshot (PHP 5.1):
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=trysnapshot51
Try a CVS snapshot (PHP 6.0):
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=trysnapshot60
Fixed in CVS: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=fixedcvs
Fixed in release:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=alreadyfixed
Need backtrace: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=needtrace
Need Reproduce Script: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=needscript
Try newer version: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=oldversion
Not developer issue: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=support
Expected behavior: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=notwrong
Not enough info:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=notenoughinfo
Submitted twice:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=submittedtwice
register_globals: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=globals
PHP 3 support discontinued: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=php3
Daylight Savings: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=dst
IIS Stability: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=isapi
Install GNU Sed: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=gnused
Floating point limitations: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=float
No Zend Extensions: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=nozend
MySQL Configuration Error: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=36019&r=mysqlcfg
