#43984 [Opn->Bgs]: Extra parentheses prevent implicit variable initialisation when passing by ref

ID: 43984 Updated by: derick@php.net Reported By: robin_fernandes at uk dot ibm dot com -Status: Open +Status: Bogus Bug Type: Scripting Engine problem Operating System: Windows PHP Version: 5.2.5 New Comment: Sorry, but your problem does not imply a bug in PHP itself. For a list of more appropriate places to ask for help using PHP, please visit http://www.php.net/support.php as this bug system is not the appropriate forum for asking support questions. Due to the volume of reports we can not explain in detail here why your report is not a bug. The support channels will be able to provide an explanation for you. Thank you for your interest in PHP. You're passing an expression "($b)" as a variable. An expression is not a variable. For this to work, you need to pass a variable only "$b". Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2008-01-30 18:01:27] robin_fernandes at uk dot ibm dot com Note that if the variable is defined, it is correctly passed by reference whether or not the parens are present: <?php function f(&$ref) { $ref='changed'; } echo "\nPass defined variable by ref with parentheses:\n"; $c = null; f( ($c) ); var_dump($c); ?> Prints: Pass defined variable by ref with parentheses: string(7) "changed" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2008-01-30 18:00:49] robin_fernandes at uk dot ibm dot com Description: ------------ Passing an undefined variable by reference causes that variable to be implicitly defined. However, this is not the case if the argument is inside parentheses. This is reproducible on php5.2.5 as well as php5.3 and php6 snaps. Reproduce code: --------------- <?php function f(&$ref) { $ref='changed'; } echo "Pass undefined variable by ref:\n"; f( $a ); var_dump($a); echo "\nPass undefined variable by ref with parentheses:\n"; f( ($b) ); var_dump($b); ?> Expected result: ---------------- Pass undefined variable by ref: string(7) "changed" Pass undefined variable by ref with parentheses: string(7) "changed" Actual result: -------------- Pass undefined variable by ref: string(7) "changed" Pass undefined variable by ref with parentheses: Notice: Undefined variable: b in %s on line 11 Strict Standards: Only variables should be passed by reference in %s on line 11 Notice: Undefined variable: b in %s on line 12 NULL ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=43984&edit=1