Table of Contents

PHP RFC: E_WARNING for invalid container read array-access

Introduction

PHP current array-access system works very well when attempting to access containers of type array, reference(to an array), and objects that implement ArrayAccess. However, accessing elements not of those types results in a NULL value returned without any alert as to why it's null. This feature has been requested in 37676 and duplicated in at least 39915 and 72636. PHP correctly returns a warning when you attempt to use an offset that is of an invalid type, PHP should also provide a warning when a container is of an invalid type.

Proposal

This RFC proposed to combine a couple of existing PR's[1][2] as well as my implementation to raise a E_WARNING when a container type is used that does not contain array-accessable data. The default behavior, of a silent NULL return, is not correctly defined in the Array Documentation however is noted in a comment

As compared to the previous PR's (referenced below) this proposed implementation takes effort to limit throwing errors multiple times.

<?php
$var = false;
$var[1][2][3][4][5]; // This will throw a single E_WARNING, as accessing ($a[1])[2] 
                     // is attempting to access a IS_VAR chain that is NULL.
                     // Output would be:
                     // Warning: Variable of type boolean does not accept array offsets
 
$var = array(123);
$var[0][1];          // This will throw an E_WARNING, as accessing $a[0] is valid
                     // [1] is accessing an integer as an array.                     
                     // Output would be:
                     // Warning: Variable of type integer does not accept array offsets
 
// Brought up during vote:
$a = [null];
$c = null;
var_dump($a[0][0] + $c[0]);  // This will through 2 E_WARNINGS, First would be $a[0][0]
                             // For the same reason as above, $a[0] is rightfully NULL
                             // and accessing [0] on null is invalid.  The second, 
                             // would be $c[0] for the same reason.
                             // Output:
                             // int(0)

Backward Incompatible Changes

In terms of error-reporting for default INI settings there would be no BC-break for production, but there would be warnings for development. Many production deployments alter default INI settings for error-reporting and as such could be exposed to this warning displaying. This would need to be documented in release notes for users to properly address in development environments.

However, error-reporting isn't the only aspect that needs to be addressed here. set_error_handler(), if listening to E_WARNING will be triggered for this warning regardless of INI settings. As well error_get_last() would also contain this warning if it was the most recent error. These two operate regardless of error_reporting(0).

This RFC aims to limit the quantity of warnings on a single line, however, large projects may have many locations that might need variable type checking around unknown container access. Typically, one might assume access of a variable to be an array or object, and could do checks to make sure the variable about to be accessed is an array, or an object.

Performance Impact

Test run was:

<?php
$a = false;
for ($i = 0; $i < 1000000; $i++) {
    $a[0];
}

Execution Time (DualCore 3ghz; 2g ram)

We can see there is a significant increase in operations on huge loads. However, I wouldn't suspect 1m of these errors per request almost ever. So, yes there is; but I'd call it useful information overhead.

Proposed PHP Version(s)

Next PHP 7.x (currently 7.2)

RFC Impact

To SAPIs

No expected impact to SAPI's

To Existing Extensions

No Extensions

To Opcache

No Opcodes are touched with this RFC

To Documentation

It would probably be nice to document the E_WARNING behavior for accessing on non-array types in the Array Documentation either here or here

Discussed Issues

E_NOTICE or E_WARNING

I began this RFC with the implementation raising an E_NOTICE. However, when attempting to access a scalar value as array for a write-context it raises an E_WARNING. So I'm mimicking this behavior when accessing any scalar not just those <= IS_FALSE on a read-context.

NULL Identity

Should NULL variables be treated as a special identity so that accessing array on a null just returns null.

list() access

Should we ignore throwing warnings for list() accesses? (where $foo = null)

Per discussion on the PR I have limited this RFC to not raise warnings when setting any value by use of list().

Reference Assignment Access

Discussed on the PR was how to handle access like

$value = null;
$dim = 0;
$new_val =& $value[$dim];
var_dump($value);
/*
   Output:
   array(1) {
     [0] =>
     &NULL
   }
*/

In the above example the variable $null is accessed via write, and current operations there instruct the variable to become an array, where $value[$dim] is created as null, and then make it a reference. I dislike how this is unique to NULL values being accessed, wherein bools/floats/ints silently fail, and the return value is undefined. Regardless, because this is accessed as a write, it falls outside the scope of this RFC which aims to raise a warning for read access.

Proposed Voting Choices

Requires 2/3 Vote

E_WARNING for invalid container read array-access
Real name Yes No
bishop (bishop)  
bukka (bukka)  
bwoebi (bwoebi)  
colinodell (colinodell)  
danack (danack)  
daverandom (daverandom)  
dmitry (dmitry)  
guilhermeblanco (guilhermeblanco)  
hywan (hywan)  
jhdxr (jhdxr)  
jpauli (jpauli)  
kguest (kguest)  
laruence (laruence)  
lstrojny (lstrojny)  
mariano (mariano)  
mbeccati (mbeccati)  
mike (mike)  
ocramius (ocramius)  
omars (omars)  
peehaa (peehaa)  
santiagolizardo (santiagolizardo)  
trowski (trowski)  
yohgaki (yohgaki)  
Final result: 19 4
This poll has been closed.

Vote Start: 2016-08-16 15:36

Vote End: 2016-08-31 23:59

Patches and Tests

RFC Proposed Implementation

References

Current Open PR's

[1] PR 866

[2] PR 1269

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