Hey Josh, Similar proposals were raised recently for `__toArray()`: see https://externals.io/message/108369#108369
I'd endorse avoiding object-to-<scalar> casts via cast operations: they are a good source of bugs. My rationale for the discouragement of magic cast methods is explained with some code examples at https://github.com/ShittySoft/symfony-live-berlin-2018-doctrine-tutorial/pull/3#issuecomment-460441229 Greets, Marco Pivetta http://twitter.com/Ocramius http://ocramius.github.com/ On Mon, Jul 6, 2020 at 4:17 PM Josh Bruce <j...@joshbruce.dev> wrote: > Apologies, first time, still learning and have no historical context - > timing is what it is. > > Proposal type: Concept > > Implementer: Unknown, fallback to me after slow learning > > Presumed simple implementation as the pattern should already be in place: > > Cast of (string) -> __toString() - already implemented > > Cast of (bool) -> __toBool() > > Cast of (int) -> __toInt() > > Cast of (object) -> __toObject() > > …and so on. > > Alternative implementation using an interface: > > \CastableTo{type} > > Extreme implementation: > > Make both of the previous available. > > Known unknowns: > > - Level of interest in something like this in the PHP community outside of > one upvote on a Stackoverflow question I submitted: > https://stackoverflow.com/questions/62747837/php-7-tostring-or-other-interface-for-boolean-values > < > https://stackoverflow.com/questions/62747837/php-7-tostring-or-other-interface-for-boolean-values > > > - Whether this conversation or proposal has already occurred. > - The historical conversation leading to the creation of the __toString() > method (and stopping there). > - The current conversation around using magic methods in general and > specifically when defining a cast response. > - Enough details on PHP internal development to implement myself (this is > the first time in 20 years I felt I couldn’t comfortably accomplish what I > wanted to, thanks for that). > - What potential collisions could occur if someone (me) wanted to > implement all possibilities in a single class. > - Right now __toBool() would be of the most personal benefit - if proposal > is converted to an RFC, would it be better (faster/smoother) to do one RFC > for all the cast possibilities - or to have an RFC for each cast separately? > > Thank you for the consideration, information, and feedback. > > Cheers, > Josh > > ps. Also, apologies again for walking into a new space on a mission, not > my normal approach. > > pps. The primary project inspiring the proposal: > https://github.com/8fold/php-shoop <https://github.com/8fold/php-shoop> > > >
