note 53873 added to language.variables.scope

Ah, OK. Well, this is still not what I would expect: $GLOBALS['bar'] = 'frank'; var_dump ($bar); function foo () { var_dump ($GLOBALS['bar']); var_dump ($bar); } foo (); This'll print: string(5) "frank" string(5) "frank" PHP Notice: Undefined variable: bar in /.../foo.php on line 6 NULL So using $GLOBALS to set global variables to be used without the $GLOBALS name only works outside of functions. You still have to use "global $bar" inside the function to use the variable as just plain $bar. So basically, there's no good reason whatever that $GLOBALS['bar'] should be identical to $bar (in the global context), since the only time you really need the benefits of a global variable is inside of functions, and it doesn't work there. ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php Edit -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=edit+53873 Delete: added to the manual -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+53873&report=yes&reason=added+to+the+manual Delete: bad code -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+53873&report=yes&reason=bad+code Delete: spam -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+53873&report=yes&reason=spam Delete: useless -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+53873&report=yes&reason=useless Delete: other reasons -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+53873&report=yes Reject -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=reject+53873&report=yes Search -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php