Bug #12008 Updated: mysql_fetch_* inconsistent with MySQL C API

ID: 12008 Updated by: jeroen Reported By: strougatski@ea-ratings.ru Status: Closed Bug Type: Feature/Change Request Operating System: RedHat 6.2 PHP Version: 4.0.6 New Comment: About not using NULL values: It is not efficient to use PHP, use C, or even better: assembler if you want the most efficient dynamic website. IMHO, null values are incredibly useful. As is PHP, by the way :) And arrays *do* support NULL values. The only point is that isset($a_var_containing_null) returns false. But with foreach you will go over the value. With var_dump on such an array, you will see the null-values. Zeev: do you know since when it does / doesn't work? Then I'll note it in the docs. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2001-07-10 13:08:53] brianlmoon@php.net In PHP setting a var to NULL in fact destroys that var so it is not currently possible to have an elelment in an array that has a NULL value. On a side note, if you read the MySQL optimization docs, you will find they reccommend you never use NULL fields. Brian. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2001-07-10 09:14:34] zeev@php.net fetch_array, in recent versions (4.0.6 inclusive) should actrually populate NULL values in the array. Are you sure you tested it with 4.0.6? How did you arrive to the conlusion they're not there? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2001-07-10 09:08:13] strougatski@ea-ratings.ru The handling of NULL values in mysql_fetch_* function seems to be inconsistent with MySQL C API: in C, mysql_fetch_row() would put nil values in the row array if corresponding value in the select statement is NULL. In PHP it seems, as dicussed on mysql_fetch_array() page, the NULL values would not be stored in the array at all. This poses some problems when migrating from C to PHP. Would it be possible to introduce another function that would be consistent with MySQL C API? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ATTENTION! Do NOT reply to this email! To reply, use the web interface found at http://bugs.php.net/?id=12008&edit=1