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Bug #46416 each() erratic behaviour with objects
Submitted: 2008-10-29 10:06 UTC Modified: 2008-10-29 12:10 UTC
From: bugzilla at zuavra dot net Assigned:
Status: Not a bug Package: Scripting Engine problem
PHP Version: 5.3.0alpha2 OS: *
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
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 [2008-10-29 10:06 UTC] bugzilla at zuavra dot net 
Description:
------------
Using each() to iterate through an object will produce weird results in two respects:
1. It will expose private and protected members alongside public ones.
2. For private and protected members, the keys (names) are jumbled.

Yes, I know that this behaviour is known and that the manual page for each() warns about this. But such an inconsistency should not exist.

Desirable consistent behaviour:
a) Produce the same results as foreach() (show only public members).
or
b) Refuse to work with objects altogether and state so in the manual.

Reproduce code:
---------------
<?php
class Example {
    private $priv = 1;
    protected $prot = 2;
    public $pub = 3;
}
$obj = new Example();
while (list($key, $val) = each($obj)) {
    printf("%s = %s\n", $key, $val);
}
?>

Expected result:
----------------
pub = 3

Actual result:
--------------
[NUL]Example[NUL]priv = 1
[NUL]*[NUL]prot = 2
pub = 3

where [NUL] is the null (0x00) character

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 [2008-10-29 11:30 UTC] jani@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
 [2008-10-29 12:10 UTC] bugzilla at zuavra dot net 
Yeah, I expected I might get the canned response for this one.

I still think it doesn't make sense for each() to behave in a completely unpredictable manner.

I suspect the rationalization for this is that each() accesses objects in "string context" as opposed to "object/class context" and therefore it need not observe access modifiers. However, it doesn't explain why foreach should behave otherwise.

I also saw rationalization for print_r, var_dump etc. in that those are special and that they should be allowed unobstructed view of objects. I don't see how that applies to each().

At the very least please consider making each() return proper names for private/protected variables.

If there are internal engine considerations that require that each() be kept (partially or totally) with these inconsistencies, for now or for longer, please say so in this or another bug report, otherwise I suspect this issue may very well keep on being raised.
 
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