`echo $e` will call the exception classes __toString method. This will show more information than just getMessage(). This isn't a mistake.

However, the docs are not very good - I'll have a look at them today.

While the _toString() should be called, in PHP 5.0.2 echoing an object, $e of class Exception, doesn't always call the _toString() method.

So perhaps this is more than a documentation problem.  For example, given this catch{} block:


catch( Exception $e ) {

   $ref = new ReflectionObject($e);
   echo var_export($ref->getMethods(),1);

   echo "My Error: ".$e;
}

This outputs (shortended form):

array (
 ...
  8 => 
  class ReflectionMethod {
    public $name = '__toString';
    public $class = 'Exception';
  },
)

My Error: Object id #3


H

__toString has complicated (somewhat confusing) behaviour.

echo $e; // calls __toString
echo 'text', $e; // calls __toString
echo 'text'. $e; // doesn't call __toString
echo (string) $e; // doesn't call __toString

This is documented on the __toString page:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.magic.php

This behaviour may change in PHP 5.1

Also note: I've updated the exceptions page to call the getMessage method, as it's more appropriate.

Thanks Aidan.  Please note, however, that this page:

http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.magic.php

Is empty.

And thanks for changing the example to getMessage().  I think depending on toString for examples can cause confusion for the reasons you mention.

Thanks again,

H

Yep, we have not rebuilt the manual yet. It should appear in the next couple of days.