From:
Operating system: Nix/Win
PHP version: 5.3.3
Package: Java related
Bug Type: Feature/Change Request
Bug description:Optional type hinting on variables
Description:
------------
I know there's been a lot of discussion about type hinting for years now.
It's prevalent in most OOP languages and as PHP makes the move towards
being an OOP scripting language, it would make sense to introduce certain
language features. Unless there is a technical constraint (quite possible),
would it be possible to introduce type hinting on variables?
I make the argument because it would be encourage data validation based on
the variable type rather than having to create functions to check if the
input matches the variable type. It would vastly improve current and future
frameworks, reduce code and improve error handling (assuming the programmer
implements).
Cast exceptions would need to be implemented as well, eg. String could not
be cast to int, int cannot be set a string value etc.
It can also in part replace the is_int, is_numeric, is_bool etc. functions;
functions which wouldn't be needed if there was variable type hinting.
Test script:
---------------
<?php
$a = 0;
int $b = 0;
changeVar(&$var) {
try {
$var = 'abc123';
} catch (Exception $ex) {
echo 'could not change variable value or something';
}
}
Expected result:
----------------
There will be a compile time error because variable type hinting isn't
supported. If it were to be implemented you would expect something along
the lines of:
changeVar($a);
changeVar($b);
// prints exception message
echo $a; // abc123
echo $b; // 0
Actual result:
--------------
Throws a compile time error, isn't supported by php
--
Edit bug report at http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=53095&edit=1
--
Try a snapshot (PHP 5.2):
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=trysnapshot52
Try a snapshot (PHP 5.3):
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=trysnapshot53
Try a snapshot (trunk):
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=trysnapshottrunk
Fixed in SVN:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=fixed
Fixed in SVN and need be documented:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=needdocs
Fixed in release:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=alreadyfixed
Need backtrace:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=needtrace
Need Reproduce Script:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=needscript
Try newer version:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=oldversion
Not developer issue:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=support
Expected behavior:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=notwrong
Not enough info:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=notenoughinfo
Submitted twice:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=submittedtwice
register_globals:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=globals
PHP 4 support discontinued: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=php4
Daylight Savings: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=dst
IIS Stability:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=isapi
Install GNU Sed:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=gnused
Floating point limitations:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=float
No Zend Extensions:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=nozend
MySQL Configuration Error:
http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=53095&r=mysqlcfg
