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Tue, 08/14/2007 - 04:41
quaoar
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Instead of just using the superglobal array $GLOBALS?

For example I've taken to using $GLOBALS['user'] whenever I need to access a variable from the global scope. Opposed to writing for example "global $user" in a function and by that reserving that name for the rest of the functions scope.
Some functions I encounter in Drupal/UC are quite large (lots of lines of code). I personally find it easier to read code where you can easily tell if whatever variable currently being used is a global or not.

Just curious Smiling

Erlend Strømsvik
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Tue, 08/14/2007 - 08:40
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Shawn Conn
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Nope

Other than stylistic concerns, there's no difference. Either way you're referencing same variable. I've found myself doing the same thing actually. It's one less line of code to write!

-Shawn Conn: If the Name Don't Rhyme It Ain't Mine

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Tue, 08/14/2007 - 08:53
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quaoar
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Re: Nope

Actually, it may seem it's not entirely the same. (just spent some time reading about this)

Using the global keyword you are creating a reference to the value in the $GLOBALS array. Someone did some tests running functions working with the $GLOBALS array and then using references to values in $GLOBALS and the latter was slower. This was for PHP 5.0.3 (http://www.php.net/global - about halfway down the page).

I also remember some time ago, someone proposed to deprecate the global keyword from PHP. After that I stopped using it entirely.

Erlend Strømsvik
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Tue, 08/14/2007 - 08:48
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Lyle
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Hrm... Part of it's legacy

Hrm...

Part of it's legacy syntax of C and Java where you only had the global keyword, so doing it that way feels familiar.

The rest of it's probably because $user is shorter than $GLOBALS['user']. Eye-wink So if I'm going to be using it several times in a function, I'll probably declare it global at the beginning to save just a tiny bit of extra work.

I have to agree, though. It is nice knowing for sure which variables are global from the get go.

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