Bug #53432 [Opn->Ver]: Assignment via string index access on an empty string converts to array

Edit report at http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=53432&edit=1 ID: 53432 Updated by: jani@php.net Reported by: phplists at stanvassilev dot com Summary: Assignment via string index access on an empty string converts to array -Status: Open +Status: Verified Type: Bug -Package: Unknown/Other Function +Package: Scripting Engine problem -Operating System: All +Operating System: * -PHP Version: 5.2.14 +PHP Version: 5.* Block user comment: N Private report: N Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2010-12-01 04:33:28] phplists at stanvassilev dot com I want to note, I realize when the variable is undefined, null, false, array is the expected end result, but a string is already signifying explicitly the intent of the programmer. While PHP is a language with loose typing, it's not as loose as to convert scalars to arrays and back, despite a set value. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2010-12-01 04:19:40] phplists at stanvassilev dot com Description: ------------ The title/code says it all. Once a variable is a string, using array access should mean char access, but this is not maintained for empty strings, while it's maintained for non-empty strings. Test script: --------------- $a = ''; // empty string $a[10] = 'a'; echo $a; // "Array" $b = ' '; // non empty string $b[10] = 'b'; echo $b; // " b" Expected result: ---------------- " a" " b" Actual result: -------------- "Array" " b" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=53432&edit=1