PHP 4.0 Bug #9186 Updated: string compare with "==" does not work correctly

ID: 9186 User Update by: tom.anheyer@berlinonline.de Status: Analyzed Bug Type: Documentation problem Description: string compare with "==" does not work correctly Ok, I accept this. But I don't think that is a good idea to compare apples with pears with the answer 'yes they are fruit' without any warning. Previous Comments: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2001-02-15 04:32:00] zeev@php.net Ok, it should remain open as a documentation problem... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2001-02-15 04:31:01] zeev@php.net This is a defined behavior (and does have strong reasons). It's not a bug. If you're interested in a byte-by-byte string comparison, you should use strcmp(). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2001-02-09 11:10:17] zak@php.net Incorrectly flagged as bogus. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2001-02-09 10:59:10] tom.anheyer@berlinonline.de I think there is no reason to convert any type if both operands of the comparision are of the same type. It costs time and it's completely not necessary. This is a bug. I can not see any description of this behavior in the manual. The string type section descibes only what is happen if a string is converted. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2001-02-09 10:27:46] zak@php.net Actually, this is a feature - it is described in the manual. Strings that look like numbers are converted to numbers. Large numbers - like the ones below may not convert perfectly from a string to a number. Review the manual section on PHP types in general and strings in particular (http://uk.php.net/manual/en/language.types.string.php) While this is a relatively subtle bug, you can ensure that you are dealing with strings by quoting the variables being compared or by using the === operator. This behavior is exploited quite often in PHP scripts. However, perhaps it would be nice if PHP generated an notice level error when it occured so that users have some recourse when it happens unexpectedly. If you feel strongly about this, propose it to the developers as a feature request. Post your request on the php-dev@lists.php.net list (sub at php-dev-subscribe@lists.php.net) - if you get no response, be polite but persistant. :) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The remainder of the comments for this report are too long. To view the rest of the comments, please view the bug report online. Full Bug description available at: http://bugs.php.net/?id=9186