Req #46083 [Opn->Bgs]: PHP allows default parameters to appear before required parameters

Edit report at http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=46083&edit=1 ID: 46083 Updated by: johannes@php.net Reported by: kevin dot benton at beatport dot com Summary: PHP allows default parameters to appear before required parameters -Status: Open +Status: Bogus Type: Feature/Change Request -Package: Feature/Change Request +Package: *General Issues Operating System: All PHP Version: 5.2.6 Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: This is an side effect of the possibility to allow NULL values with type hinted parameters. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2008-09-15 17:07:53] kevin dot benton at beatport dot com Description: ------------ PHP allows default parameters to appear before required parameters From http://www.php.net/manual/en/functions.arguments.php, It reports that... <?php function makeyogurt($type = "acidophilus", $flavour) { return "Making a bowl of $type $flavour.\n"; } echo makeyogurt("raspberry"); // won't work as expected ?> will generate this output: Warning: Missing argument 2 in call to makeyogurt() in /usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/phptest/functest.html on line 41 Making a bowl of raspberry . I think this is simply nasty behavior. If $type is defaulted and not specified, PHP should know that it's a default parameter from the parameter count and shift accordingly or generate a syntax error. A default parameter that appears to the left of a required parameter isn't optional with the way parameters are processed in PHP today. I would rather have seen one of these results: Error: makeyogurt() specifies required parameters after defaulted parameters in /usr/local/etc/httpd/htdocs/phptest/functest.html on line 41. or Making a bowl of acidophilus raspberry. While the second solution was rejected in http://bugs.php.net/24153, I believe the first solution is still valid and quite frankly, appropriate. If nothing else, this should be an option in php.ini to prohibit optional parameters before required parameters. C programmers are familiar with being able to do this by turning on -Wall -Werror Reproduce code: --------------- See description Expected result: ---------------- See description Actual result: -------------- See description ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=46083&edit=1