Req #54082 [Com]: Cast array key objects to string

Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=54082&edit=1 ID: 54082 Comment by: zyss at mail dot zp dot ua Reported by: slusarz at curecanti dot org Summary: Cast array key objects to string Status: Open Type: Feature/Change Request Package: Arrays related Operating System: Irrelevant PHP Version: Irrelevant Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: This feature is much awaited, it has wide practical application. For example in ORM system fields references could be objects: class FieldReference { protected $name; public function __construct($name) { $this->name = $name; } public function __toString() { return $this->name; } } $ref = new FieldReference('field'); echo $ref, "\n"; // outputs: field, __toString() method is called $select = [ // works fine but (string) clutters code (string) $ref => 'value' ]; var_dump($select); // outputs: array(1) { ["field"]=> string(5) "value" } $select = [ // looks fine but triggers: Warning: Illegal offset type (string) $ref => 'value' ]; var_dump($select); Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2015-12-20 15:45:15] reallfqq-php at yahoo dot fr Still true in PHP 7.0.0... Will you fix it? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2014-05-25 01:44:16] chx@php.net This is an absolute pain when dealing with strings that might be returned from autoescaped Twig as Twig_Markup objects. I'd warmly appreciate a bugfix even in 5.4... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2011-10-14 22:02:07] maschingan at gmail dot com The same issue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2011-02-23 19:47:46] slusarz at curecanti dot org Description: ------------ Per http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.types.array.php, array keys can be integers or strings. If an object can be converted to a string representation (i.e. it has a __toString() method defined), it should be automatically cast to a string. Currently, an error is thrown instead. Current workaround is to manually cast to string when setting a key. Test script: --------------- class Foo { public function __toString() { return 'A'; } } $a = new Foo(); $b = array($a => 1); print_r($b); Expected result: ---------------- Array ( 'A' => 1 ) Actual result: -------------- PHP Warning: Illegal offset type [...] Array ( ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=54082&edit=1