Re: RE: Optional scalar type hinting

On Thu, Jan 03, 2008 at 07:36:48PM +0100, Markus Fischer wrote: > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > Hash: SHA1 > > Hello, > > Alain Williams wrote: > > On Thu, Jan 03, 2008 at 12:21:21PM -0500, Sam Barrow wrote: > >> I think E_WARNING would be appropriate. That's what happens when you > >> omit an argument to a function right? > > > > The other thing to note about type hinting is that it could result in faster code. > > The value is checked and if needed converted (eg string -> integer) when the > > function is called; it then need not be converted again when it is used in > > the function. This will presumably be a win if the value is used more than once. > > I don't think that automagic conversion of types is a good idea. > > When the type hint says I want an integer, then only integer should be > accepted; no casting should be done. It may give predictable results Maybe the type checks should be stricter than normal. What are we going to want here ? * integer - possibly convert from: - string, in which case we just accept digits with an option + or - The important thing is that the *entire* string must convert - float - the standard truncate towards zero Nothing else * float - possibly convert from: - integers - standard convertion - string - accept a float in the standard formats The important thing is that the *entire* string must convert * boolean. At first glance this is easier as the convert to boolean for lots of types is well defined. In most cases the programmer would not be interested in a type check, so if he specifies it then we should be very restrictive. * string - possibly convert from: - integers & float - standard convertion - boolean - standard convertion - objects - only if they have a __toString() method -- Alain Williams Linux Consultant - Mail systems, Web sites, Networking, Programmer, IT Lecturer. +44 (0) 787 668 0256 http://www.phcomp.co.uk/ Parliament Hill Computers Ltd. Registration Information: http://www.phcomp.co.uk/contact.php Chairman of UKUUG: http://www.ukuug.org/ #include <std_disclaimer.h>