PEAR.php (confused syntax)

daarius

hi,
The PEAR.php file in PEAR lib contans the following syntax:

On top of the file a global is defined as:
$GLOBALS['_PEAR_default_error_mode'] = PEAR_ERROR_RETURN;

then below in the file, in setErrorHandling();

we see a code:

<pre>
if (isset($this)) {
$setmode = &$this->default_error_mode;
$setoptions = &$this->default_error_options;
//$setcallback = &$this->default_error_callback;
} else {
$setmode = &$GLOBALS['PEAR_default_error_mode'];
$setoptions = &$GLOBALS['PEAR_default_error_options'];
//$setcallback = &$GLOBALS['PEAR_default_error_callback'];
}
</pre>

above in 'else' block, lets say for $setmode ... is that declaring the same global again or is it simply making $setmode equal to the above global?

i guess its the syntax or general PHP knowledge issue.. am lacking it! 🙂

thanks guys,
Daarius...

daarius

sorry, above my sentence is cut of for some reason.

what i mean is:

above in 'else' block, lets say for $setmode ... is that declaring the same global "again" or is it just making $setmode equal to the already defined global??

Anon

It's making $setmode equal to the global. In fact, it's making $setmode refer to the global (hence the '&'). With that, any changes to the value of $setmode will also be made to the global.

Why bother? Well, $setmode is easier to type and read than $GLOBALS['_PEAR_default_error_mode'], especially in things like

$setmode=SCREAM_AT_EVERYTHING; - "set mode equal to "scream at everything" - or whatever.

daarius

yes, but what i was confused what re-declaration of $GLOBALS[...]

why not simply call it as:

$setmode = &$_PEAR_default_mode;

instead of doing it:

$setmode = &$GLOBALS['_PEAR_default_mode'];

this made me confused because the later syntax is used on the top of file to actually "declare" the GLOBAL.

what do you think?

Daarius...

Anon

Well, that's not a redeclaration, just a way of indicating where a particular value is coming from (it's not coming from an HTTP_GET, HTTP_POST, or HTTP_SESSION, but is being defined in an included file.