Req #79285 [Nab]: Allow unpacking of arrays with string keys into other arrays

Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=79285&edit=1 ID: 79285 Updated by: nikic@php.net Reported by: caelan89 at gmail dot com Summary: Allow unpacking of arrays with string keys into other arrays Status: Not a bug Type: Feature/Change Request Package: Scripting Engine problem Operating System: n/a PHP Version: 7.4.2 -Block user comment: No +Block user comment: Yes Private report: N New Comment: Pro tip: Don't be a total dick in your bug reports, and you might get a more information reply next time. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2020-02-19 21:23:29] caelan89 at gmail dot com Sorry, not array_match, array_merge. I'm tired. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2020-02-19 21:21:13] caelan89 at gmail dot com Are there any downsides to allowing string keys when unpacking inside arrays? I agree that allowing string keys for function arguments doesn't seem to semantically quite fit together. Indexes don't map to arbitrary strings. But why not for spreading within an array? You could then simultaneously define default values, user customisable values and fixed values all within the array syntax. For example: $custom = [ 'value' => true, ]; $values = [ 'value' => false, ...$custom 'fixed-value' => $whatever ]; Indexed arrays would concatenate, like with array_merge. String keys will overwrite, like with array_merge. Does it not make far more sense for the semantics to match array_match, which, if you did not know PHP didn't support it, you would think it would? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2020-02-19 21:10:13] requinix@php.net Yes, you are absolutely right, the two actually are different things. Perhaps that would explain why the RFC used the words "consistent with" and not "is the same as". ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2020-02-19 20:53:54] caelan89 at gmail dot com requinx, Unpacking an array to pass arguments to a function dynamically is not the same thing as unpacking an array inside an array to merge in-place. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2020-02-19 18:57:15] requinix@php.net https://wiki.php.net/rfc/spread_operator_for_array#string_keys > In order to make the behavior consistent with argument unpacking, string keys are not > supported. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The remainder of the comments for this report are too long. To view the rest of the comments, please view the bug report online at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=79285 -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=79285&edit=1