Re: Scalar type hinting

So the official response is "get lost"? I don't know about the internals implications. But from an external API standpoint I see no problem in allowing programmers who want to strictly enforce a variable's datatype to do so. Legacy code would not be affected unless it was trying to use the new reserved word "strict" 2012/2/27 Johannes Schlüter <johannes@schlueters.de>: > Hi, > > PHP is no strickt-typed language. Changing this is a massive change, if > you want to go there: There are plenty of other languages. > > If you want this to be an optional feature: > a) It's not optional (one has to maintain code written by others, uses > libraries, frameworks, ...) > b) It causes a hell lot of trouble with copy-on-write. going from > fixed-typed to non-fixed-typed variables (in a funciton call or > assignment or such) will always have to cause a copy. This will hurt the > performance in hardly predictable ways. > > johannes > > On Mon, 2012-02-27 at 09:29 -0500, Michael Morris wrote: >> What I've wanted for awhile, but don't know what the implementation >> problems would be, is to allow for two new variable types to solve >> this problem - Strict and tolerant variables.  Both of these must be >> declared formally (otherwise PHP assumes scalar) and the datatype must >> be included. The syntax >> >> // A tolerant variable. >> integer $a = 3; >> >> // A strict variable >> strict integer $b = 2; >> >> Tolerant variables silently cast values to their declared datatype. >> Maybe they should raise E_NOTICE? >> Strict variables refuse to be assigned a value with an incorrect >> datatype.  Raise E_WARNING? >> >> A strict function would have the current behavior of kicking a warning >> when the type hinting fails.  Otherwise, functions should be tolerant >> - >> >> function foo ( integer $a, string $b, $c ) {} >> >> strict function foo ( integer $a, $string $b, $c ) {} >> >> A function parameter without a datatype would be ignored. >> >> This does open the door to function overloading, but the engine >> problems of this are well documented and have been discussed.  Still, >> I don't think it's a bad thing to have a syntax that allows for method >> overloading in the future. >> >> On Sun, Feb 26, 2012 at 10:52 PM, Kris Craig <kris.craig@gmail.com> wrote: >> > I'll try to find some time tonight to create that for ya. >> > >> > Once this discussion comes together a little bit more and we have at least >> > a vague-ish idea what direction we're moving in, I'll also go ahead and >> > create an RFC as well so we have a conceptual product to build on. >> > >> > --Kris >> > >> > >> > On Sun, Feb 26, 2012 at 6:27 PM, Samuel Deal <samuel.deal@gmail.com> wrote: >> > >> >> Hi, >> >> >> >> I create a new thread to discuss about Scalar type hinting. >> >> >> >> Following the John Crenshaw proposed terminology: >> >> > - "Strict Typing" means the super strict old C style typing that >> >> > has >> >> been proven to be ridiculous in this environment because of the obvious >> >> problems inherent in the fact that almost every input is a string. >> >> > - "Weak Typing" means types in the same sense that the PHP >> >> > documentation >> >> uses types (for example, the docs indicate substr(string, integer), and >> >> substr(12345, "2") == "345".) >> >> > - "No Scalar Typing" should be used to indicate the current system >> >> (where there is no provision for hinting at scalar types.) >> >> >> >> Previous weak typing proposal could be found here : >> >> https://wiki.php.net/rfc/typechecking >> >> >> >> I have no rights to edit the wiki and make a summary of previous >> >> arguments, so if someone could create it... >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Samuel DEAL >> >> samuel.deal@gmail.com >> >> >> >> >> > >