note 102066 added to language.references.arent

I think the terminology is tripping people up when it comes to assigning objects. Try thinking of binding and references like this: <?php # Code: $a = 5; $b =& $a; $c = new stdClass(); $d = $c; # Behind the scenes symbol table and values: $global_names = array( 'a' => array('binding' => 0), 'b' => array('binding' => 0), 'c' => array('binding' => 1), 'd' => array('binding' => 2), ); $values = array( 0 => array('type' => 'scalar', 'value' => 5), 1 => array('type' => 'objId', 'value' => 0), 2 => array('type' => 'objId', 'value' => 0) ); ?> $a is bound to (or references, or is a reference to) the value at index 0 (scalar 5). $b is bound to the same thing as $a--the value at index 0 (scalar 5). $c is bound to the value at index 1 (object ID 0). $d is bound to the value at index 2 (a separate and distinct value also referring to object ID 0). When the documentation states that you cannot [re-]bind $bar to something else from within the example function foo, it means you can't change what in my pseudo-engine would be $global_names['bar']['binding']. You can only change $values[$names['var']['binding']] (using "$var ="; the same value referenced/bound by $values[$global_names['bar']['binding']) or $names['var']['binding'] (using "$var =&"). Also consider this code: <?php $a = 3; $b =& $a; function foo (&$c) { $c = new stdClass(); } function bar () { return new stdClass(); } function &fum () { return new stdClass(); } if (!is_object($a)) { echo "\$a does not initially refer to an object\n"; } foo($b); echo "\$b ", ($a === $b)? "has not": "has", " been re-bound by foo\n"; if (is_object($a)) { echo "\$a now contains an object identifier\n"; } $b =& bar(); echo "\$b ", ($a === $b)? "has not": "has", " been re-bound by bar\n"; $b =& fum(); echo "\$b ", ($a === $b)? "has not": "has", " been re-bound by fum\n"; ?> which outputs: $a does not initially refer to an object $b has not been re-bound by foo $a now contains an object identifier $b has not been re-bound by bar $b has been re-bound by fum In other words, the value can be changed but the binding does not (except for returning a reference), exactly as stated. Object identifiers do make object "values" work like pointers (but not to the extent of C/C++, and not like references). ---- Server IP: 208.69.120.55 Probable Submitter: 99.114.241.185 ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.references.arent.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/102066 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/102066/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/102066/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/102066/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/102066/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/102066/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/102066/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/102066 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/102066 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php