[PHP-DOC] About function reference [An idea for improvement] From: Yasuo Ohgaki (yohgaki <email protected>)
Date: 03/31/01

Hello forks,

Currently function reference describes its usage as follows:

int ereg (string pattern, string string [, array regs])
string ob_get_contents(void);

ereg() changes value for 3rd parameters(pass by reference). ob_get_contents()
returns reference to buffered contents. Once programmer understands how function
works, it's not a problem. However it's unclear from current function
description what happens to parameters and if programmer changes return value.

How about put indication of reference if parameter/return value is a reference.
For example,

int ereg (string pattern, string string [, &array regs])
&string ob_get_contents(void);

If I guess parameter/return value may be a reference, I'm making a little script
to check what happen to parameter/return value.

It'll be much easier to understand how functions is supposed to work if function
description indicates whether parameter/return value is reference or not.

Regards, 

--
Yasuo Ohgaki