RE: [PHP-DEV] Type hints with null default values

Am I just being a goofball seeing a distinction between allowing a class hint to accept null vs. it being an optional parameter? Both Todd's and Marcus' replies seem to indicate otherwise. Bob -----Original Message----- From: Marcus Boerger [mailto:helly@php.net] Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 1:37 PM To: Robert Silva Cc: internals@lists.php.net Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Type hints with null default values Hello Robert, Tuesday, October 19, 2004, 10:20:59 PM, you wrote: > The issues surrounding this seemed to have been muddied up a little, I'll > try to clear them up. > I see two different sets of functionality that people are asking for. > #1. The ability to pass null on a type hinted param (but still a mandatory > param) > #2. The ability to define an optional type hinted param. > I see it as a very important distinction to make. Using the #2 to solve #1 > is not the solution PHP should implement. Using some method which operates > on the class hint itself is the right solution. > For example, using the [] method: > public function Compare([BaseClass] $objA, $cmpFunc); As far as we disallow this and only allow optional types at the end i'd agre to this. Example: public function Compare($cmpFunc, [BaseClass] $objA); > If we were to use the optional parameter method to solve #1, then you limit > the language unnecessarily. > public function Compare(BaseClass $objA=null, $cmpFunc); <-- Error! > That would be a mistake, IMO, to put that restriction on the language. > Thanks for all the feedback you guys are providing, together we should be > able to come up with a solution that meets everyones needs.