Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC][Discussion] Grapheme Mask

On 28/06/2026 10:59, Ayesh Karunaratne wrote:
> **Suggestion**: I find the limitations of `$start` and `$length` too
> restrictive. Laravel's `Str::mask`[^1] for example offers more
> expressive control over the offset and length.


The only difference I can see is the use of a negative start parameter 
to count backwards from the end of the string. I agree that would be a 
useful addition, and consistent with other functions such as substr() 
and array_splice().

Are there other options that Laravel provides, or which you think could 
be provided?

On the subject of consistency, it looks like other functions use $offset 
rather than $start, so we should be consistent with that - especially 
now we have named parameter calling. I'm not sure if there's a direct 
equivalent to $mask_char anywhere which we should match.

-- 
Rowan Tommins
[IMSoP]