Re: Mixed return type - boolean and array/resource/closure or object

Robert Stoll wrote: >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Christoph Becker [mailto:cmbecker69@gmx.de] >> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2014 5:37 PM >> To: Robert Stoll; 'Sebastian Krebs' >> Cc: 'PHP General List' >> Subject: Re: [PHP] Mixed return type - boolean and array/resource/closure or object >> >> Robert Stoll wrote: >> >>> Nevertheless, the signature in the documentation implies that >>> date_create() returns always DateTime. I already submitted a patch to >>> change it to mixed :) >> >> IMHO, the signature is fine, as false is returned only in *exceptional* >> cases. To be strict, changing the return type to mixed had to be done >> for (nearly) *all* functions, because several may return false in error >> cases, and many will return null when wrong arguments are passed. > > I see your point. But IMO it is confusing that something else is returned than mentioned in the > signature. I always take > strpos as a reference (it has mixed as return type). Yet, mixed is not really precise and I > think it would be better to > have something like "int|false" or a shorter form, maybe "int!" to indicate > that either int or false is returned. > > Changing strpos to int would be wrong IMO. I want to see at one glance from the signature of > the function what it > returns. As I said mixed is not ideal either since I have to scroll down to 'Return > Values' but better than confusing > me. > > About null, I see null as part of an object type. I know that many people would not agree on > this one but for me it > makes sense. I was referring to the following note regarding built-in functions[1]: | If the parameters given to a function are not what it expects, such | as passing an array where a string is expected, the return value of | the function is undefined. In this case it will likely return NULL | but this is just a convention, and cannot be relied upon. [1] <http://www.php.net/manual/en/functions.internal.php> -- Christoph M. Becker