On Sat, Jan 15, 2011 at 1:51 AM, larry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <larry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Assuming that by "bare strings" you mean: > > $foo[bar] = 'baz'; > > as opposed to: > > $foo['bar'] = 'baz'; Yes, indeed. > That is generally considered very bad form in PHP. That throws an E_NOTICE > error level, and therefore slows down your code (if only by a small amount) > for the error handling. Of course, if you have any respect for your code > you're developing under E_ALL so bare strings for array keys would print > ugly notices messages at you constantly. If you're not developing under > E_ALL, then you're going to miss error messages that will take a long time > to track down and correct yourself when the PHP interpreter can simply tell > you exactly where they are if you let it. My first little app which is about an hour old is a command line utility for personal use and to be honest, I haven't checked the logs or the settings of php.ini so I don't know what the warning level is set at. I did not know that the interpreter emitted such a warning for bare strings. So it's settled for me: check my php.ini to ensure that I run at E_ALL | E_STRICT | E_NOTICE and refrain from using bare strings. Thanks for your thoughts and the reminder. Regards. > Bottom line: Bare strings are not officially deprecated, but no respectable > programmer users them. > > (I now expect to get flamed by someone who uses them but is insulted that I > am calling them not respectable. My position on the matter still stands.) > > --Larry Garfield > > On 1/14/11 9:44 AM, Evil Son wrote: >> >> Hello group, >> >> I am a new and just an occasional user of PHP and would like some >> direction. >> >> I find the use of bare strings as array keys pleasant to work with, >> easy on the eye and quick to type. I understand that this use of bare >> strings is not encouraged because of possible conflicts with key words >> and constants and to a lesser degree loss of some performance. >> >> I tend to use all capitals for my constants and never for my array >> keys (if bare). In addition, collisions with PHP keywords fails fast >> when they happen. My application is for personal use, and any >> performance degradation is insignificant. >> >> However, I can imagine having collisions with constants defined by >> libraries that I may use. >> >> Have you found the use of bare strings a significant issue? Or do the >> benefits outweigh the dangers? Perl and Tcl both have them. I like >> them in PHP too. >> >> Thanks. >> > > -- > PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > > -- Regards Evil Son -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
