Bug #72588 [Opn->Ver]: Using global var doesn't work while accessing SimpleXML element

Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=72588&edit=1 ID: 72588 Updated by: cmb@php.net Reported by: tdrpic at atdi dot us dot com Summary: Using global var doesn't work while accessing SimpleXML element -Status: Open +Status: Verified Type: Bug Package: Variables related Operating System: Windows PHP Version: 7.0.8 Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: Confirmed, see <https://3v4l.org/OcRGM>, or the more readable <https://3v4l.org/IiZvt>. Apparently, the regression happened with PHP 7.0.0. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2016-07-12 18:18:58] tdrpic at atdi dot us dot com Description: ------------ When making a variable global inside a function and using it as an index to access a SimpleXML element, the variable's value is non-properly handled and the XML's element is not returned (although you can error_log the variable's value and type). If you cast the variable to an integer, the XML's element is returned (as expected) - see column #2. Compare the results of the four different tests in the sample script. Also: - if you try the test removing the function call (to avoid declaring the variable as global), the expected element is returned. - using $GLOBALS also works returning the expected element. - the output of the code is different between PHP 5.4.16 and PHP 7.0.8 Test script: --------------- <?php $tpnb = 5; test(); die(); function test() { global $tpnb; error_log('$tpnb value: ' . $tpnb . ' type:' . gettype($tpnb)); $xmlStruct = <<<EOF <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <templates> <object type="obj_1" label="Label for object 1"></object> <object type="obj_2" label="Label for object 2"></object> <object type="obj_3" label="Label for object 3"></object> <object type="obj_4" label="Label for object 4"></object> <object type="obj_5" label="Label for object 5"></object> <object type="obj_6" label="Label for object 6"></object> <object type="obj_7" label="Label for object 7"></object> <object type="obj_8" label="Label for object 8"></object> <object type="obj_9" label="Label for object 9"></object> <object type="obj_10" label="Label for object 10"></object> </templates> EOF; $tplxml = simplexml_load_string($xmlStruct); echo '<table border="1">'; echo '<tr>'; echo'<td style="vertical-align:top"><pre><h1>1: $tpnb</h1>'; // try accessing "object" directly print_r($tplxml->object[$tpnb]); echo '</pre></td>'; echo'<td style="vertical-align:top"><pre><h1>2: (int) $tpnb</h1>'; // try accessing "object" with an index cast print_r($tplxml->object[(int) $tpnb]); echo '</pre></td>'; echo'<td style="vertical-align:top"><pre><h1>3: ($tpnb + 1 - 1)</h1>'; // try accessing "object" by increasing and decreasing the index print_r($tplxml->object[($tpnb + 1 - 1)]); echo '</pre></td>'; echo'<td style="vertical-align:top"><pre><h1>4: temp var</h1>'; // use a temporary variable to re-set the index in the same variable $tpnbx = $tpnb; unset($tpnb); $tpnb = $tpnbx; print_r($tplxml->object[$tpnb]); echo '</pre></td>'; echo '</tr></table>'; } Expected result: ---------------- All the columns should return: SimpleXMLElement Object ( [@attributes] => Array ( [type] => obj_6 [label] => Label for object 6 ) ) Actual result: -------------- Column one is empty. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=72588&edit=1