From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Operating system: Any
PHP version: 4.0.5
PHP Bug Type: Feature/Change Request
Bug description: function enhancements
Hi, I have a few ideas for enhancements to PHP's functions that would make them much
more powerful.
First, when using variable length argument lists (using func_get_arg, etc.) there
should be a way to treat these as references. As of now, it seems to me that only
pass by value can be achieved with this mechanism. A simple func_set_arg function
would fill this gap nicely.
Second, macros would be a nice addition.
Third, and most important I believe, there needs to be a mechanism for inheriting
scope in a function - rather than choosing between the extremes of global and local.
For instance, the following code demonstrates my point:
function a() {
global $var;
$var = 10;
}
function b() {
$var = 5;
a();
print $var; # still prints 5 because a()'s $var is global
# whereas b()'s var is local. There is NO
# way to reference b()'s var in a() as it
# stands - the only way to do it would be to
# make a() get passed a reference to $var
}
$var = 5;
a();
print $var; # here, however, everything works fine because
# the $var here is global
The behavior of a() here is, if not downright inconsistent, somewhat frustrating.
Now, consider if we had an inherit construct, which inherited the variable from the
calling scope. If a() then was defined as
function a() {
inherit $a;
$a = 10;
}
the behavior would be more consistent to what the writer of function b() intended.
With these additions, I think a lot more could be accomplished with functions.
Thanks for a great product,
Robby Walker
CD-Lab
www.cd-lab.com
--
Edit Bug report at: http://bugs.php.net/?id=11472&edit=1
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