#33884 [NEW]: Only variable references should be returned by reference if I return nothing
From: php-bugs-2005 at ryandesign dot com
Operating system: N/A
PHP version: 4.4.0
PHP Bug Type: Unknown/Other Function
Bug description: Only variable references should be returned by reference if
I return nothing
Description:
Hi. After upgrading from PHP 4.3.11 to 4.4.0 I get the
famous Only variable references should be returned by
reference notice in one of my projects. The function in
question returns by reference, but only needs to do this
sometimes. Other times, it returns nothing at all, because
the caller does not need a return value. In these latter
cases, PHP produces the notice as of 4.4.0.
This surprised me because it's perfectly fine to have a
normal return-by-copy function that does not return
anything. So why not a return-by-reference function?
I couldn't find any documentation that if your function
returns by reference, then you must always return something.
In my particular case I can rewrite the function so that it
always returns something, even when the caller has no use
for it. I just wasn't sure if the notice in this case was
intended, and if so, why.
If the behavior is intended, then the documentation should
reflect this.
Reproduce code:
---
error_reporting(E_ALL);
function foo_by_reference_with_return() {
echo __FUNCTION__ . br /\n;
return $GLOBALS['bar'];
}
function foo_by_reference_without_return() {
echo __FUNCTION__ . br /\n;
} // line 11
function foo_by_copy_with_return() {
echo __FUNCTION__ . br /\n;
return $GLOBALS['bar'];
}
function foo_by_copy_without_return() {
echo __FUNCTION__ . br /\n;
}
foo_by_reference_with_return();
foo_by_reference_without_return(); // causes notice in 4.4.0
foo_by_copy_with_return();
foo_by_copy_without_return();
Expected result:
foo_by_reference_with_return
foo_by_reference_without_return
foo_by_copy_with_return
foo_by_copy_without_return
Actual result:
--
foo_by_reference_with_return
foo_by_reference_without_return
Notice: Only variable references should be returned by
reference in references.php on line 11
foo_by_copy_with_return
foo_by_copy_without_return
--
Edit bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=33884edit=1
--
Try a CVS snapshot (php4): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=trysnapshot4
Try a CVS snapshot (php5.0):
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=trysnapshot50
Try a CVS snapshot (php5.1):
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=trysnapshot51
Fixed in CVS:http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=fixedcvs
Fixed in release:http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=alreadyfixed
Need backtrace: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=needtrace
Need Reproduce Script: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=needscript
Try newer version: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=oldversion
Not developer issue: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=support
Expected behavior: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=notwrong
Not enough info:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=notenoughinfo
Submitted twice:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=submittedtwice
register_globals:http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=globals
PHP 3 support discontinued: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=php3
Daylight Savings:http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=dst
IIS Stability: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=isapi
Install GNU Sed: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=gnused
Floating point limitations: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=float
No Zend Extensions: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=nozend
MySQL Configuration Error: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33884r=mysqlcfg
#32624 [NEW]: Rephrase: Please allow this report to be send to the PHP QA team.
From: php-bugs-2005 at ryandesign dot com Operating system: N/A PHP version: 5.0.4 PHP Bug Type: Compile Warning Bug description: Rephrase: Please allow this report to be send to the PHP QA team. Description: In ./run-tests.php and ./server-tests.php the following message can be displayed: Please allow this report to be send to the PHP QA team. This will give us a better understanding in how PHP's test cases are doing. There are a number of problems with this message. For one thing, it should be sent and not send, and I think understanding of how is better than understanding in how. The fundamental problem though is made obvious by the prompt that follows it: (choose s to just save the results to a file)? [Yns]: See, there's a question mark, and it expects a yes or no (or save) answer. I would therefore reformulate it as a question. The message also seems to appear without any explanation to the user. It could be made friendlier. Suggestion below. This problem is presumably also present in PHP4. Reproduce code: --- N/A Expected result: You may have found a problem in PHP's test cases. We'd like to automatically send this report to the PHP QA team, to give us a better understanding of how the test cases are doing. If you don't want to send it immediately, you can choose s to save the report to a file that you can send us later. May we send this report now? [Yns]: Actual result: -- Please allow this report to be send to the PHP QA team. This will give us a better understanding in how PHP's test cases are doing. (choose s to just save the results to a file)? [Yns]: -- Edit bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=32624edit=1 -- Try a CVS snapshot (php4): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=trysnapshot4 Try a CVS snapshot (php5.0): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=trysnapshot50 Try a CVS snapshot (php5.1): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=trysnapshot51 Fixed in CVS:http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=fixedcvs Fixed in release:http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=alreadyfixed Need backtrace: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=needtrace Need Reproduce Script: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=needscript Try newer version: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=oldversion Not developer issue: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=support Expected behavior: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=notwrong Not enough info: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=notenoughinfo Submitted twice: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=submittedtwice register_globals:http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=globals PHP 3 support discontinued: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=php3 Daylight Savings:http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=dst IIS Stability: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=isapi Install GNU Sed: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=gnused Floating point limitations: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=float No Zend Extensions: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=nozend MySQL Configuration Error: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=32624r=mysqlcfg
#32624 [Fbk-Opn]: Rephrase: Please allow this report to be send to the PHP QA team.
ID: 32624 User updated by: php-bugs-2005 at ryandesign dot com Reported By: php-bugs-2005 at ryandesign dot com -Status: Feedback +Status: Open Bug Type: Compile Warning Operating System: N/A PHP Version: 5.0.4 New Comment: Oh, very well. :-) http://test.michel-consulting.de/ryan/php-5.0.4-failed- test-message.patch Previous Comments: [2005-04-07 17:53:58] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Could you please be so kind and provide a patch? (for run-tests.php) [2005-04-07 16:17:35] php-bugs-2005 at ryandesign dot com Description: In ./run-tests.php and ./server-tests.php the following message can be displayed: Please allow this report to be send to the PHP QA team. This will give us a better understanding in how PHP's test cases are doing. There are a number of problems with this message. For one thing, it should be sent and not send, and I think understanding of how is better than understanding in how. The fundamental problem though is made obvious by the prompt that follows it: (choose s to just save the results to a file)? [Yns]: See, there's a question mark, and it expects a yes or no (or save) answer. I would therefore reformulate it as a question. The message also seems to appear without any explanation to the user. It could be made friendlier. Suggestion below. This problem is presumably also present in PHP4. Reproduce code: --- N/A Expected result: You may have found a problem in PHP's test cases. We'd like to automatically send this report to the PHP QA team, to give us a better understanding of how the test cases are doing. If you don't want to send it immediately, you can choose s to save the report to a file that you can send us later. May we send this report now? [Yns]: Actual result: -- Please allow this report to be send to the PHP QA team. This will give us a better understanding in how PHP's test cases are doing. (choose s to just save the results to a file)? [Yns]: -- Edit this bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=32624edit=1
