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Bug #73700 Inconsistent behavior when accessing scalars as an array
Submitted: 2016-12-09 12:31 UTC Modified: 2016-12-09 16:18 UTC
From: onno dot marsman at gmail dot com Assigned:
Status: Duplicate Package: Variables related
PHP Version: Irrelevant OS:
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
 [2016-12-09 12:31 UTC] onno dot marsman at gmail dot com
Description:
------------
If you write an array index to a number, a "Cannot use a scalar value as an array" is triggered. This is desired behavior.

In several other similar cases when treating a scalar as an array this warning is not triggered, where this would be desired in my opinion. See test script for the examples.

Because a string is a scalar you would expect this warning to be also triggered when accessing a string as an array, but of course this not desired, since accessing a string as an array is a feature. Therefor the message of the warning "Cannot use a scalar value as an array" maybe should be reconsidered.















Test script:
---------------
// The following case produces a "Cannot use a scalar value as an array" warning:

// 1. write as an array to a number
$a = 1;
$a[1] = 1;

// The following cases do not produce this warning:

// 2. write as an array to null
$a = null;
$a[1] = 1;

// 3. write as an array to false
$a = false;
$a[1] = 1;

// 4. read as an array from a number
$a = 1;
var_dump($a[1]);
// results in NULL

// 5. read as an array from null
$a = null;
var_dump($a[1]);
// results in NULL

// 6. read as an array from false
$a = false;
var_dump($a[1]);
// results in NULL







Expected result:
----------------
Get 6 warnings instead of just 1.

Actual result:
--------------
Only 1 warning.

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 [2016-12-09 12:50 UTC] requinix@php.net
-Status: Open +Status: Duplicate
 [2016-12-09 12:50 UTC] requinix@php.net
This is a known issue pending implementation.
https://wiki.php.net/rfc/notice-for-non-valid-array-container
 [2016-12-09 16:18 UTC] onno dot marsman at gmail dot com
-Summary: Incosistent behavior when accessing scalars as an array +Summary: Inconsistent behavior when accessing scalars as an array
 [2016-12-09 16:18 UTC] onno dot marsman at gmail dot com
That is good news, thank you
 
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