Re: $this variable reference question

It's not the same thing. When an variable references an object then you can change either the original object or the new variable and you will be changing the *same* object, not a new one. Maybe this example helps? <?php

    class test {
        function test($val) {
            global $myref;
            $myref = &$this;
            $this->value = $val;
        }
        function printval() {
            echo "The value of this class is '{$this->value}' <br>";
        }
        function setval($val) {
            $this->value = $val;
        }
    }

$a = new test(); $b = &$a; $c = new test(); $a->setval(22); $b->setval(321); $c->setval('A weird comment'); $a->printval(); // should see 321 $b->printval(); // should see 321 $c->printval(); // should see A weird comment ?>