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Bug #38355 @ operator prevents 'Only variables can be passed by reference' error
Submitted: 2006-08-06 12:52 UTC Modified: 2006-08-06 13:02 UTC
From: dima at snaiper dot no-ip dot com Assigned:
Status: Not a bug Package: Scripting Engine problem
PHP Version: 5.1.4 OS: Windows XP
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
 [2006-08-06 12:52 UTC] dima at snaiper dot no-ip dot com
Description:
------------
@ in argument passed into function prevents 'Fatal error: Only variables can be passed by reference' error.

Reproduce code:
---------------
function test(& $a) {
echo $a;
}
	
$b = "hello";
test($b); // hello
test($b[0]); // 'Fatal error: Only variables can be passed by reference'
test(@ $b[0]); // h

Expected result:
----------------
'Fatal error: Only variables can be passed by reference'

Actual result:
--------------
test(@ $b[0]); // h

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 [2006-08-06 13:02 UTC] helly@php.net
Thank you for taking the time to write to us, but this is not
a bug. Please double-check the documentation available at
http://www.php.net/manual/ and the instructions on how to report
a bug at http://bugs.php.net/how-to-report.php

You need to use the @ where the error happens. Here it is the passing to the function or in other words the function call and not the access:
php -r \'function test(& $a) {} $b=\"hello\"; @test($b[0]);\'
 
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