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Bug #54943 Array_merge links resulting array to source arrays by reference.
Submitted: 2011-05-27 19:41 UTC Modified: 2011-06-07 20:43 UTC
From: dtrenz at gmail dot com Assigned:
Status: Not a bug Package: *General Issues
PHP Version: 5.3.6 OS: Mac OSX
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
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 [2011-05-27 19:41 UTC] dtrenz at gmail dot com
Description:
------------
When using array_merge() on an array of objects, the resulting array is linked to 
the source array(s) as if passed by reference so that modifying the resulting 
array after the merge ALSO modifies the source array.

Test script:
---------------
<?php

$obj = (object) null;
$obj->name = 'Bob';

$arrA = array();
$arrB = array($obj); // name = "Bob"

$arrA = array_merge($arrA, $arrB);

// Change name property of first element
$arrA[0]->name = 'Joe';

print_r($arrA);  // name = "Joe"
print_r($arrB);  // name = "Joe"; source array was modified, should still be "Bob

Expected result:
----------------
Array
(
    [0] => stdClass Object
        (
            [name] => Joe
        )
 
)

Array
(
    [0] => stdClass Object
        (
            [name] => Bob
        )
 
)

Actual result:
--------------
Array
(
    [0] => stdClass Object
        (
            [name] => Joe
        )
 
)

Array
(
    [0] => stdClass Object
        (
            [name] => Joe
        )
 
)

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 [2011-06-07 20:43 UTC] dsp@php.net
-Status: Open +Status: Bogus
 [2011-06-07 20:43 UTC] dsp@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

they both hold the same reference:

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