PHP use function return value as array

Question

Why is it that this works:

        $cacheMatchesNotPlayed = $cache->load('externalData');
        $cacheMatchesNotPlayed = $cacheMatchesNotPlayed['matchesNotPlayed'];

But this doesn't work:

        $cacheMatchesNotPlayed = $cache->load('externalData')['matchesNotPlayed'];

Is there some reason for it? The second bit is easier to write.

score 7 · Answer 1 · answered May 17 '10 at 17:58

7

Because PHP does not support that syntax.

answered May 17 '10 at 17:58

Tyler Carter

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@Andrey: I can think of *far* stupider limitations besides this. :-) – salathe May 17 '10 at 18:09
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@salathe - i said *one of* :) – Andrey May 17 '10 at 18:10
@Andrey: haha, fair enough :) – salathe May 17 '10 at 18:22

salathe · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-13T08:48:44.547

6

PHP does not support the function array dereferencing, which you want to do.

See an RFC on the subject http://wiki.php.net/rfc/functionarraydereferencing, and the associated mailing list conversations, which was declined roughly this time last year. While there was support for this, and it's still a common request (usually "why doesn't this work?"), there are no plans in motion to introduce this syntax.

As for why, quite simply the code implementing it has not been submitted for approval (if it has been written at all).

Update

This feature has been implemented in the trunk (main development) branch of PHP and will likely be included in the next non-bugfix version (5.4.0). For anyone wanting to play with FAD, feel free to download a trunk snapshot.

edited May 13 '11 at 08:48

answered May 17 '10 at 18:05

salathe

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Is it difficult to implement this functionality or is there some other reason for this? Because it's a really annoying "feature" of PHP, I always use it that way and then wonder why my code is not working. – Richard Knop May 17 '10 at 18:16
I've never looked into what would be necessary to implement it, so I can't really say how difficult it would be. All I can say is that there have been voices raised on the subject for many years, but still no code. Though perhaps the complexity of the task and lack of patches submitted bear no real correlation. – salathe May 17 '10 at 18:25

score 5 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:30

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PHP just does not support array dereferencing in the way you have described. Also covered here:

PHP syntax for dereferencing function result

edited May 23 '17 at 12:30

Community

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answered May 17 '10 at 17:59

Annika Backstrom

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PHP use function return value as array

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