Bug #10506: Using a variable as a mathematical operator

From: jdj@darkside.dynup.net Operating system: Linux, but not important PHP version: 4.0.4pl1 PHP Bug Type: Feature/Change Request Bug description: Using a variable as a mathematical operator I am parsing the Date: header of an email address, which includes a GMT offset in the form [+|-]%4d. Ideally, one of the following would work. ;) $hour_mins = '0600'; $gmt_offset = '+0200'; $hour_mins = $hour_mins $gmt_offset[0] substr ($gmt_offset, 1); That returns a parse error.. as does the short form of that (+=). As it is now, I'm switch()'ing the $gmt_offset[0]. $hour_mins += substr ($gmt_offset, 1); works.. $hour_mins = $hour_mins + substr ($gmt_offset, 1); works.. Is this unsupported for any particular reason.. or am I just not syntactically correct? Thanks! Jeremy -- Edit Bug report at: http://bugs.php.net/?id=10506&edit=1