php.net |  support |  documentation |  report a bug |  advanced search |  search howto |  statistics |  random bug |  login
Bug #31762 array_shift() modifies array passed by value from class method
Submitted: 2005-01-30 05:38 UTC Modified: 2005-02-05 05:41 UTC
From: e at narod dot ru Assigned:
Status: Not a bug Package: Scripting Engine problem
PHP Version: 5.0.3 OS: Windows XP
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
Welcome back! If you're the original bug submitter, here's where you can edit the bug or add additional notes.
If you forgot your password, you can retrieve your password here.
Password:
Status:
Package:
Bug Type:
Summary:
From: e at narod dot ru
New email:
PHP Version: OS:

 

 [2005-01-30 05:38 UTC] e at narod dot ru
Description:
------------
Function array_shift() modifies array passed by value from class method.

In the example below $_cache is modified through array_shift() call though $_cache is always passed by value.

The bug doesn't appear if we don't use classes.





Reproduce code:
---------------
class A {
	var $_cache = false;

	function get_array() {
		if (!$this->_cache) $this->_cache = array(1, 2, 3, 4, 5);
		return $this->_cache;
	}
	function get_shifted_array() {
		return array_shift($this->get_array());
	}
}
$a = new A;
for ($i = 0; $i < 5; $i++)
	echo $a->get_shifted_array() . "\n";


Expected result:
----------------
1
1
1
1
1


Actual result:
--------------
1
2
3
4
5


Patches

Pull Requests

History

AllCommentsChangesGit/SVN commitsRelated reports
 [2005-02-03 21:52 UTC] tony2001@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

That's how it works.
See http://php.net/array_shift
 [2005-02-05 05:41 UTC] e at narod dot ru
How can you explain Try to remove the line:

"if (!$this->_cache) $this->_cache = array(1, 2, 3, 4, 5);"

and you'll get

"PHP Fatal error:  Only variables can be passed by reference in C:\TEMP\bug31762.php on line 10"

The strange thing is that "if (...)" statement influences the function's return value type.why the problem
 
PHP Copyright © 2001-2025 The PHP Group
All rights reserved.
Last updated: Sun Jul 20 21:00:02 2025 UTC