Req #76313 [Opn->Sus]: RFE: shorthand for ternary assignment "?="

Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=76313&edit=1 ID: 76313 Updated by: requinix@php.net Reported by: php at richardneill dot org Summary: RFE: shorthand for ternary assignment "?=" -Status: Open +Status: Suspended Type: Feature/Change Request Package: Variables related Operating System: Linux PHP Version: 7.2.5 Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: See https://wiki.php.net/rfc/short_ternary_equal_operator for ?:= But trying to cram the complete ternary form into a shorthand $x ?= $y : $z; looks too confusing. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2018-05-08 16:48:28] php at richardneill dot org Description: ------------ In the same way that we can have: $x += $y; as a shorthand for: $x = $x + $y; it would be helpful if we could have: $x ?= $y; as a shorthand for: $x = $x ?: $y; Alternatively, we could have the following syntax, which are more aligned with the 2 ways the ternary operator works, though I think it might less useful: $x ?:= $y; //c.f. $x = $x ?: $y; $x ?= $y : $z; //c.f. $x = $x ? $y : $z; This would be nice to have, simplify quite a lot of typing, and be consistent with all the other operators such as "*=" and ".=" . Thank you for your consideration and your time. A similar request exists here: Bug #72047 though as that bug has been closed, I assume (please correct me if I'm wrong) that it's better to open a new one. In that bug, the idea is for "null coalescing", whereas I think it's more useful to deal with anything "falsey", bearing in mind that many data sources originate as web forms. Test script: --------------- <?php $name1 = "Jane"; $name2 = ""; $name1 ?= "[TBC]"; $name2 ?= "[TBC]"; echo "$name1 and $name2 are attending this event."; // Jane and [TBC] are attending this event." ?> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=76313&edit=1