Req #70296 [Opn->Wfx]: pass by reference: switch back to call time

Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=70296&edit=1 ID: 70296 Updated by: rasmus@php.net Reported by: o dot rijkers at gmail dot com Summary: pass by reference: switch back to call time -Status: Open +Status: Wont fix Type: Feature/Change Request Package: Unknown/Other Function PHP Version: Irrelevant Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: Latest version? This was changed in PHP 5.3.0 in 2009. There are a number of reasons why it needs to be this way, sorry. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2015-08-18 23:41:41] o dot rijkers at gmail dot com Description: ------------ In the latest version the pass by reference is moved to the function declaration: function myFunct(&$arg) {...} This results in several limitations: 1. the $arg argument can only be a call by reference. The pass by reference requirement may be dependent of the location where the function is called (I just run into this, hence this request), i.e. sometimes I just want to call myFunc($a); and I don't want $a to be changed. 2. it is not possible to pass an expression or literal as the first argument. 3. it is not possible to define a default value (other than null) and omit the argument when calling the function, e.g. myFunc(); It should never be the responsibility of a function to enforce a pass by reference. At best it could provide the option of a pass by reference argument. This greatly improves the flexibility, especially for library developers. Test script: --------------- function myFunc(&$arg = 1) {} function yourFunc($arg) {} myFunc($a); // no pass by reference as it is not desired myFunc(3); // no pass by reference as it is not desired myFunc(); // no pass by reference as it is not desired myfunc(&$a); // pass by reference as it is required by the caller and // the option of pass by reference is provided by the function yourFunc(&$a); // no pass by reference as this option is not provided by the // function declaration ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=70296&edit=1