note 82885 added to language.references.pass

Passing by Reference Issues: <?php # sample function: function foo(&$var) { $var++; } # this works: $a = 1; foo($b = 1); print_r($a . '<br>'); // 1 print_r($b . '<br>'); // 2 # this produces a error: $a = 1; foo($b = $a); // create a copy of a print_r($a . '<br>'); // should be 1 print_r($b . '<br>'); // should be 2 # this works: $a = 1; foo($b = (int)$a); print_r($a . '<br>'); // 1 print_r($b . '<br>'); // 2 # if you want to pass a copy of a array use this function: foo($b = DeRef($a)); // create a copy of $a function &DeRef($var) { return($var); } ?> can someone explain why foo($b = $a) is not valid ? ---- Server IP: 69.147.83.197 Probable Submitter: 87.188.237.72 ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.references.pass.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/82885 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/82885/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/82885/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/82885/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/82885/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/82885/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/82885/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/82885 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/82885 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php