note 56661 added to function.unset

In PHP 5.0.4, at least, one CAN unset array elements inside functions from arrays passed by reference to the function. As implied by the manual, however, one can't unset the entire array by passing it by reference. <?php function remove_variable (&$variable) // pass variable by reference { unset($variable); } function remove_element (&$array, $key) // pass array by reference { unset($array[$key]); } $scalar = 'Hello, there'; echo 'Value of $scalar is: '; print_r ($scalar); echo '<br />'; // Value of $scalar is: Hello, there remove_variable($scalar); // try to unset the variable echo 'Value of $scalar is: '; print_r ($scalar); echo '<br />'; // Value of $scalar is: Hello, there $array = array('one' => 1, 'two' => 2, 'three' => 3); echo 'Value of $array is: '; print_r ($array); echo '<br />'; // Value of $array is: Array ( [one] => 1 [two] => 2 [three] => 3 ) remove_variable($array); // try to unset the array echo 'Value of $array is: '; print_r ($array); echo '<br />'; // Value of $array is: Array ( [one] => 1 [two] => 2 [three] => 3 ) remove_element($array, 'two'); // successfully remove an element from the array echo 'Value of $array is: '; print_r ($array); echo '<br />'; // Value of $array is: Array ( [one] => 1 [three] => 3 ) ?> ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.unset.php Edit -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=edit+56661 Delete: added to the manual -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+56661&report=yes&reason=added+to+the+manual Delete: bad code -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+56661&report=yes&reason=bad+code Delete: spam -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+56661&report=yes&reason=spam Delete: useless -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+56661&report=yes&reason=useless Delete: non-english -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+56661&report=yes&reason=non-english Delete: other reasons -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+56661&report=yes Reject -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=reject+56661&report=yes Search -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php