Hello out there.
Recently when I was working on a project, the idea came to my mind: allowing
the usage of undefined "dummy"-flags.
When I am speaking of "undefined dummy-constant", I mean if a variable is
being assigned the constant - and considering it's not defined -
the constant is being internally assigned an unique value.
It's complicated to explain. Maybe, a snippet of code makes you understand
my idea:
<?php
// par exemple .. usage in a class:
class XX {
public $x = __XS;
public function foo () {
return $this->x;
}
}
$k = new XX;
if ( $k->foo() == __XS ) {
// -- this has been achieved without explicit definition of
XX->x!!
}
// or this way:
$x = __FOO;
$y = __NOOB;
$z = __FOO;
if ( $x == $y ) {
print "This should then not be shown";
} elseif ( $y == $z ) {
print "This should then not be shown either";
} elseif ( $x == $z ) {
print "This would then be finally shown";
}
?>
The idea behind the implementation - if possible - would then be, in order
to make this and constants work together, it could be checked this way:
If an undefined value is BEING ASSIGNED to a variable or returned by a
function, PHP defines it and assigns an unique - internal - value.
If an undefined value is NOT BEING ASSIGNED and NOT YET DEFINED and, for
instance, used in another context - like usage in a function or if-clause,
PHP falls back to the "Use of undefined constant".
I do not want to allow something like: __X = 2 (__X === 2), but something
like $x = FF; $y = DD; ($x === $y), I think of the dummy-constants not
really being something with a value, but rather something for
"identification" of values.
----
This might be considered as a request for comments.
----
Thanks for reading,
--
*Kenan Sulayman*
*Freelance Designer and Programmer*
