Additional Note: This bug was tested on PHP 4.2.1 AND PHP CVS as of Today, July 2nd, 2002.

Using References inside a Ternary Conditional Operator generates a general parse error. Consider the following example that tests usage with both Superglobals and regular variables:

<?PHP
    error_reporting(E_ALL);

    /*
        This demonstrates a bug in the ternary conditional operator.
        It does not seem to allow references to be values.
    */

    // Tested Using Superglobals
    // ----
    
    // This works
    $request = ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') ? $_POST : $_GET;
    // This however does not.
    $request = ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') ? &$_POST : &$_GET;
    
    // Tested Using Regular Variables
    // ----
    
    $foo = "Foo";
    $bar = "Bar";
    
    // This works
    $foobar = 1 ? $foo : $bar;
    // This however does not.
    $foobar = 1 ? &$foo : &$bar;
?>    

When this is run, it generates a parse error similar this this ..

Parse error: parse error in /home/russ/repository/qaweb/test.php on line 19

.. on the lines in which references are used in the ternary conditional operator.  Since a reference is considered a type, and can be in an assignment operator, such as $var = &$ref, there is no reason it shouldn't work inside the ternary conditional operator which is basically an assignment operator with control.