Re: Re: RFC Proposal: New assign value operator

From: Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:58:41 +0000
Subject: Re: Re: RFC Proposal: New assign value operator
References: 1 2 3  Groups: php.internals 
Request: Send a blank email to internals+get-70442@lists.php.net to get a copy of this message
On Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 8:15 AM, Madara Uchiha <madara@tchizik.com> wrote: > I disagree. We don't need *yet another* assign operator while the > alternative already exists and isn't that bad. > > $money->setAmount(29.99); > Or you could even do (though I don't personally): $money->amount = 29.99 > > is perfectly fine. Adding another assigning operator wouldn't make it more > readable but less, you're effectively creating magic. > > > On Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 11:36 AM, Tom Oram <tom@scl.co.uk> wrote: > > > Hi everyone, > > > > I let this go before after getting a lot of friction to the idea but the > > more I think about the more I think it would be really useful. > > > > Since writing the original message I've been looking at golang and found > > that they have a := operation to infer type which is very similar to > what I > > proposed. > > > > I'd like to try and start some discussion about this again as I think it > > would be very useful and really open up the possibility of having objects > > for primitive types. > > > > I shall try and think up some examples to show where I think this could > be > > really useful and follow up this message with that shortly. > > > > Best regards to all, > > TOM > > On 25 Jun 2013 11:01, "Tom Oram" <tom@scl.co.uk> wrote: > > > > > Hi everyone, > > > > > > I've got an idea for an RFC proposal and from reading the instructions > it > > > looks like I should run it past you guys first. > > > > > > I have not made any contributions to PHP before although I have made > some > > > custom modifications in house in the past and while I'm no longer > > familiar > > > with the PHP code base I am confident I have the skills to implement > this > > > should it be accepted. > > > > > > What I want to propose is a new assignment operator which rather than > > > setting the variable to completely new value it would update the value > > > while maintaining the type. > > > > > > The main motivation for this is for easy assignment to value objects > aka > > > assignment operator overloading via a magic method (prehaps called > > > __assign). > > > > > > Here is an example ( for now I will use the PASCAL style assignment > > > operator := as the new operator as it is a know assignment operator and > > > currently not used in PHP): > > > > > > // For a class defined like so... > > > class MoneyValue > > > { > > > protected $amount; > > > > > > public function __assign($value) > > > { > > > $this->amount = $value; > > > } > > > } > > > > > > // The amount could then be assigned using the new operator like this > > > > > > $price = new MoneyValue(); > > > > > > $price := 29.99; > > > > > > While the primary focus would be for assignment operator overloading > as I > > > just displayed in the previous example, for consistency it could be > used > > > with scalar values to preserve type like so: > > > > > > // $str is now a string > > > > > > $str = 'Original String'; > > > > > > // Using the new assignment variable would cast the value being > assigned > > > to the variable's type > > > // (in this case a string). So > > > > > > $str := 7; > > > > > > // Would be the equivalent to > > > // > > > // $str = (string) 7; > > > // > > > // $str === "7" > > > > > > > > > Another quick example: > > > > > > $num = 5; > > > > > > $num := '12'; > > > > > > // Equivalent to > > > // > > > // $num = (int) '12'; > > > // > > > // $num === 12; > > > > > > So what do you guys think? > > > > > > If I get a good response I'll look into how to create a proper RFC and > > > start trying to work out how to implement it. > > > > > > Many thanks and look forward to some responses, > > > Tom > > > > > > > > > -- > > > **************************************************** > > > PLEASE NOTE: For support requests please > > > use support@scl.co.uk instead of emailing > > > staff directly, this way your request is likely to > > > be dealt with more efficiently. > > > **************************************************** > > > Tom Oram - SCL Internet Services > > > PO Box 8, Cardigan, Ceredigion, SA41 3YA > > > Website: http://www.scl.co.uk/ > > > Tel: +44 (0) 1239 622 411 > > > Fax: +44 (0) 1239 622428 > > > Company Reg. No. 2441708 > > > **************************************************** > > > > > >

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