Bug->Doc #70783 [Nab]: Adding a trait to a class produces fatal error

Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=70783&edit=1 ID: 70783 User updated by: joel at kociolek dot org Reported by: joel at kociolek dot org Summary: Adding a trait to a class produces fatal error Status: Not a bug -Type: Bug +Type: Documentation Problem Package: Scripting Engine problem Operating System: Linux / Ubuntu 14.04 PHP Version: 5.6.14 Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: Ok. I understand that classes should be defined before they are used. However there still may be a documentation bug and/or a missing warning. I found in the doc at http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.inheritance.php that "Unless autoloading is used, then classes must be defined before they are used. If a class extends another, then the parent class must be declared before the child class structure. This rule applies to classes that inherit other classes and interfaces." This doesn't seem to be strictly true. According to the doc, my working code shouldn't work! And the fact that traits change the strictness with which PHP parses classes doesn't seem to be explained anywhere, or at least I couldn't find it in the docs. Moreover, shouldn't there be a warning when classes are used before they are defined? I would happily send a doc patch and/or a failing test for that (potentially) missing warning, if you'd tell me that it is legit and guide me just a little bit as to where it should go (in the doc and/or test suite). Thanks. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2015-10-26 19:10:07] requinix@php.net While classes can often be used before they are "defined" (in terms of where they are located in a file), this does not apply once you introduce traits. With traits, classes must be defined before they are used. Which is a good thing to do regardless. trait wtf {} class A { use wtf; } class B extends A {} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2015-10-25 13:11:30] joel at kociolek dot org Description: ------------ I had perfectly working code. I added a trait to one of the classes and it started to produce fatal errors. I tried to cut down the complexity of the code and made the simplest example that I could do. See below. Test script: --------------- <?php class B extends A {} trait wtf {} class A { use wtf; } echo "OK\n"; Expected result: ---------------- Should display OK Actual result: -------------- Displays: Fatal error: Class 'A' not found in /home/joel/php-5.6.14/test.php on line 2 Please note that removing the "use" line from the sample code above makes it work (It display "OK"). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=70783&edit=1