This script illustrates the problem.

The problem is that if I call on an objects method to return an object, it will _always_ return a copy. Even if I use the "&" trick, it will still return a copy.

as the manual states, it is possible to do $obj = &func(); and get a reference, so it should be possible to do $obj_ref = &$obj->func() and get a reference.

<?PHP
foreach($array as $key=>$value) { $$key = $value;}
// this object is the object to be modified
class TestObj2 {
  var $doh = 1;
  function zeroDoh() {
    $this->doh = 0;
  }
}
// class to just contain an object
class TestObj {
  var $doh2;
  function TestObj() {
    $this->doh2  = new TestObj2();
  }
  function printDoh() {
    echo($this->doh2->doh);
  }
  function returnDoh() {
    return $this->doh2;
  }
}
$tst = new TestObj();
// Shows the value before it's modified
$tst->printDoh(); 
// here we _should_ get a reference to the object $doh2 inside $tst
$tst2 = &$tst->returnDoh();
// here we _should_ be modifiyng the same object as $tst->$doh2, but we are not
$tst2->zeroDoh();
// here we print the value of $tst->doh2
$tst->printDoh();