#33679 [NEW]: Function returning reference via "return new" or delegating

From: mikael at chl dot chalmers dot se Operating system: Linux PHP version: 4.4.0 PHP Bug Type: Class/Object related Bug description: Function returning reference via "return new" or delegating Description: ------------ Would have added a comment to #33558 When calling a function that returns a reference using "return new SomeClass()" (or via delegate to another function that returns a reference) the "Notice: Only variable references should be returned by reference" is triggered. However; when a reference to $this is set in the $GLOBALS array in the contructor the notice is not triggered and both $a and $b refer to the same object as shown in the example. Se also related #24687 and #26439 that gives weight to the desired behaviour of "return new" and "return deletegatingFactoryMethod()" really returning references "return null" being valid from a return-by-reference function is also desired Reproduce code: --------------- class FooBar { function FooBar() { // Enabling this line will prevent the E_NOTICE //$GLOBALS['a'] =& $this; } } function &factory() { return new FooBar(); } function &deletegatingFactoryMethod() { return factory(); } function &returnNull() { return null; } deletegatingFactoryMethod(); returnNull(); $b =& factory(); $b->foo = 'bar'; //var_dump($GLOBALS['a']); var_dump($b); Expected result: ---------------- No notices Actual result: -------------- The notice is triggered 4 times -- Edit bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=33679&edit=1 -- Try a CVS snapshot (php4): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=trysnapshot4 Try a CVS snapshot (php5.0): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=trysnapshot50 Try a CVS snapshot (php5.1): http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=trysnapshot51 Fixed in CVS: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=fixedcvs Fixed in release: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=alreadyfixed Need backtrace: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=needtrace Need Reproduce Script: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=needscript Try newer version: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=oldversion Not developer issue: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=support Expected behavior: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=notwrong Not enough info: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=notenoughinfo Submitted twice: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=submittedtwice register_globals: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=globals PHP 3 support discontinued: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=php3 Daylight Savings: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=dst IIS Stability: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=isapi Install GNU Sed: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=gnused Floating point limitations: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=float No Zend Extensions: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=nozend MySQL Configuration Error: http://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=33679&r=mysqlcfg