Re: Introducing EXCPLICIT

thank you for your reply, i'll change to c# as soon as i've finished my current projects. regards, ilker "J Smith" <dark_panda@hushmail.com> wrote in message news:20020606150548.37623.qmail@pb1.pair.com... > > I seem to remember strong typing being brought up before, and I also seem to > remember it being shot down. > > The consensus seemed to be if you want a strongly-typed language, use Java. > Or C. Or C++. Or something other than PHP that has strong data typing. > > Have things changed since then? > > J > > > Ilker Cetinkaya wrote: > > > i'd like to discuss with you a growing problem regarding php applications. > > > > i see the features taken into account for ze2 have been made regarding the > > needs of advanced php developers who design complete applications with php > > instead of just dumping out some dynamic content. > > > > php is ease of use because you don't have to care about important language > > needs like types. > > that makes following code possible > > > > $a = "hello u "; > > $b = 2; > > echo $a.$b; > > > > imho that is a good feature for coding simple things fast "from brain to > > keys". > > however in a more complicated and larger context, as in frameworks and > > libraries for example, > > this leads the coder to produce more code to get the things bugfree. > > > > consider a function inserting a row into a table with id and name: > > > > function ins($id, $name) { > > if (is_numeric($id) && is_string($name)) { > > // do insert > > return true; > > } > > return false; > > } > > > > through loose typing a value of $id = "1 " (note whitespace) is possible > > and insert would fail. > > no problem, extending condition to is_numeric(trim($id)) does it. > > anyways, a value of $name=444 causes failing this condition too, although > > it should be dyncasted into a string. > > > > instead consider this: > > > > bool function ins(int $id, string name) { > > //do insert > > return true; > > } > > > > and everything is right. > > > > what i want to point out is the loose vs. strong type issue - certainly > > discussed prior this post. > > > > i'd like to propose the introduction of an explicit command for ze2 to > > resolve this issue. > > as known of vb for example, explicit forces coder to explicitly declare > > variables. > > this would require to be "explicit" as a language directive or option. > > > > example: > > > > #!php --explicit (or something similar, perhaps a php.ini entry) > > > > mixed $mixed = "hello"; > > string $str = "string"; > > int $num = 5; > > bool $ok = false; > > array $ar; > > float $rate; > > > > bool function ins(int $id, string $name); > > > > class test { > > private bool $done; //private > > var string $name; //public; > > private object $o; > > > > string print() { > > return $name; > > } > > } > > > > object $o = new test(); > > echo $o->print(); > > > > > > i don't have any clue about implications regarding parsing and handling > > such explicit behaviour, > > especially considering type juggling, but juggling could be disabled when > > explicit is turned on. > > > > is there a chance to realize this ? and moreover, is this a desired, > > planned feature ? > > i'd welcome this.... > > > > just my 2c; > > > > ilker >