#47160 [NEW]: $foo() syntax is too limited

From: a at b dot c dot de Operating system: Windows (irrelevant) PHP version: 5.3.0alpha3 PHP Bug Type: Feature/Change Request Bug description: $foo() syntax is too limited Description: ------------ It's already possible to have arrays that represent callable methods (either static or instance), and 5.3's closures offer a third type of "callable" function. But the $foo() syntax that facilitates calling that callable function still requires $foo to contain a string. Since in general one cannot know in advance just what type of callable the value of $foo actually is, and when one does know it's often NOT a string, it's necessary to forego the syntax and rely on call_user_func($foo). What would be nice is if $foo() also worked in the cases where $foo was a callable array or Closure object. call_user_func() itself would largely be relegated to the status of "function equivalent should you need it" and complement to call_user_func_array(). Reproduce code: --------------- <?php // For 5.2.x as well. class Thing { static function DoesStuff() { echo 'Hello, World'; } } $f = array('Thing', 'DoesStuff'); $f(); ?> Expected result: ---------------- Hello, World Actual result: -------------- Fatal error: Function name must be a string in C:\test.php on line 11 -- Edit bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=47160&edit=1 -- Try a CVS snapshot (PHP 5.2): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=trysnapshot52 Try a CVS snapshot (PHP 5.3): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=trysnapshot53 Try a CVS snapshot (PHP 6.0): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=trysnapshot60 Fixed in CVS: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=fixedcvs Fixed in CVS and need be documented: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=needdocs Fixed in release: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=alreadyfixed Need backtrace: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=needtrace Need Reproduce Script: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=needscript Try newer version: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=oldversion Not developer issue: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=support Expected behavior: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=notwrong Not enough info: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=notenoughinfo Submitted twice: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=submittedtwice register_globals: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=globals PHP 4 support discontinued: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=php4 Daylight Savings: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=dst IIS Stability: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=isapi Install GNU Sed: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=gnused Floating point limitations: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=float No Zend Extensions: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=nozend MySQL Configuration Error: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=47160&r=mysqlcfg