Fighting automatic variables

[Anon]

I have been using PHP for about two years,
but I am still fighting against problem
which I guess must be quite common: when I
make a mistake in variable identifier, a new
variable with different name is automatically
and silently declared.

I suppose that PHP authors claim automatic
variables as an advantage. I belive that
everyone who knows anything about theory of
programming languages must find automatic
variables as nightmare.

Is there any tool which can find possible
errors like first using a variable on the
right side of assignment?

[[deleted]]

You could switch the reporting in php.ini to a higher setting to include warnings, then PHP will complaing about just about everything, including I believe, the use of unassigned variables.

And just to pick a fight 🙂
Automatic variables are nice.
It's up to you not to make a typo when you type the variable names. :-)

Some people say Java is great because it has such a strict syntax, and if you make a mistake of any kind the compiler will eat you alive. All that means to me is that apparently those programmers can't remember how to write proper code and they need the compiler to tell them what to do.
:-)

[kparker]

(Alright, someone who wants to fight... :-) :-)

As convenient as it is for small, quick things, I have to agree with Stroustrup about the values of static typing and declarations for large projects: "it means a whole class of errors is guaranteed to be absent from running programs" or words to that effect.

And it's not because small programs have less need to be free of errors, but rather that small programs are easier to debug by inspection. Put another way, the larger the Tower of Babel you're trying to erect, the more help you need. :-)

[[deleted]]

Not that you'd ever want to create a tower, let alone one of Babel, using java! :-)