Req #79288 [Opn->Sus]: Allow string key array unpacking inside arrays with array_merge semantics

Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=79288&edit=1 ID: 79288 Updated by: requinix@php.net Reported by: caelan89 at gmail dot com Summary: Allow string key array unpacking inside arrays with array_merge semantics -Status: Open +Status: Suspended Type: Feature/Change Request -Package: PHP Language Specification +Package: Arrays related Operating System: n/a PHP Version: 7.4.2 Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: I was not polite either. My IRL bad mood leaked onto the internet. I believe not unpacking keys with function arguments was because of the potential - no, guaranteed - confusion with associative arrays. Without a named arguments feature, PHP can only really do one thing: unpack the array in the order the entries were inserted. The order you'd get with a foreach. That runs directly contrary to how associative arrays (aka hashes or dictionaries) are typically used in programming: where the order doesn't matter in the slightest. Unpacking an associative array into function arguments just does not make sense right now. But that doesn't apply to unpacking arrays *into arrays*. However, what could be a problem is the potential for one unpacked array to overwrite the keys of a previous unpacked array. Regardless of all of the above, this sort of change needs some discussion in a place that's better suited than this bug tracker, ie. the mailing list. Possibly an RFC, depending how it goes. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2020-02-19 21:48:22] caelan89 at gmail dot com Description: ------------ A wise person by the handle of "nikic" once said to me: "Pro tip: Don't be a total dick in your bug reports, and you might get a more information reply next time." He is totally right. Don't be me. Don't go barging in with such an arrogant and demeaning tone. It does a disservice to all parties involved. See: https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=79285&edit=2 Please, if you would accept my apology, I am eager to discuss this feature: --- You've added array unpacking inside of arrays. However, I feel that it could benefit from an additional feature. You do not allow this: $a1 = [ 'test' => 1 ]; $a2 = [ 'test-2' => 2 ]; $a3 = [ ...$a1, ...$a2 ]; From my understanding, it would be semantically equivalent to: $a3 = array_merge($a1, $a2); Test script: --------------- $a1 = [ 'test' => 1 ]; $a2 = [ 'test-2' => 2 ]; $a3 = [ ...$a1, ...$a2 ]; ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=79288&edit=1