Req #75017 [Opn->Dup]: Nullable Method Calling

Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=75017&edit=1 ID: 75017 Updated by: cmb@php.net Reported by: php at haravikk dot me Summary: Nullable Method Calling -Status: Open +Status: Duplicate Type: Feature/Change Request Package: *General Issues PHP Version: Next Major Version -Assigned To: +Assigned To: cmb Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: This feature request is already subject of an existing RFC[1], so I'm closing this ticket as duplicate. Feel free to push the dormant RFC. [1] <https://wiki.php.net/rfc/nullsafe_calls> Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2017-08-01 13:15:33] php at haravikk dot me Description: ------------ It was great to see the addition of the nil-coalescing operator in PHP 7, but one case that I encounter a lot but still appears to have no solution is calling a method on a variable that may be null. What I'd like to propose is a new nullable method calling operator, which would enable us to call a method on a variable that may be null; if the variable is null the method call is ignored and null is returned, otherwise the method is called and its result returned. My proposed operator for this would be ?->, i.e- a normal method operator, but with a question mark after the variable indicating that the developer is aware it could be null. Put of another way, if -> is "call method", then ?-> "call method if not null". We could then use this like so: $array = $object?->getFoo()?->getArray() ?? []; Here we use the operator to try to drill down into $object, seeking out an array. If either $object or $object->getFoo() returns null, then null is returned, triggering the nil coalescing operator and resulting in a default empty array. NOTE: This operator only handles null cases, i.e- if any of the methods above are called upon an object that doesn't have them, then an error is thrown as normal. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=75017&edit=1