[PHP-BUG] Bug #79218 [NEW]: inconsistent behavior since call time pass by reference was removed

From:             skullnobrains at gmail dot com
Operating system: linux and probably all
PHP version:      7.3.14
Package:          PHP Language Specification
Bug Type:         Bug
Bug description:inconsistent behavior since call time pass by reference was removed

Description:
------------
creating a variable on the fly and passing it by reference produces a
run-time notice which is inconsistent with the actual behavior, since it
does work and the notice is not a deprecation.

passing a value produces a compile-time fatal error

both messages are hardly distinguishable

i picked the php version at random but all php7 versions and possibly 6
are concerned



Test script:
---------------
$sock=stream_socket_client('tcp://www.php.net:80') or die();
$num=stream_select($R=array(),$W=array($sock),$O=array(),1) or
die("selected : ".var_export($num,true));
var_dump($W);

------

$sock=stream_socket_client('tcp://www.php.net:80') or die();
$W=array($sock);
$num=stream_select(null,$W,null,1) or die("selected :
".var_export($num,true));
var_dump($W);

Expected result:
----------------
first script should just work : i am passing variables, not values.

second script : i'd rather it worked ( preferably with the previous
explicit, convenient, and backwards compatible '&$whatever' syntax ) but
unfortunately can't file the behavior as a bug.

Actual result:
--------------
PHP Notice:  Only variables should be passed by reference in
/home/alex/bugreport.php on line 4
PHP Notice:  Only variables should be passed by reference in
/home/alex/bugreport.php on line 4
PHP Notice:  Only variables should be passed by reference in
/home/alex/bugreport.php on line 4
array(1) {
  [0]=>
  resource(5) of type (stream)
}

------------------

PHP Fatal error:  Only variables can be passed by reference in
/home/alex/bugreport.php on line 7


-- 
Edit bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=79218&edit=1
-- 
Fix committed:                    https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=fixed
Fixed in release:                 https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=alreadyfixed
Need backtrace:                   https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=needtrace
Need Reproduce Script:            https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=needscript
Try newer version:                https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=oldversion
Not developer issue:              https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=support
Expected behavior:                https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=notwrong
Not enough info:                  https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=notenoughinfo
Submitted twice:                  https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=submittedtwice
register_globals:                 https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=globals
PHP version support discontinued: https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=phptooold
Daylight Savings:                 https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=dst
IIS Stability:                    https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=isapi
Install GNU Sed:                  https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=gnused
Floating point limitations:       https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=float
No Zend Extensions:               https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=nozend
MySQL Configuration Error:        https://bugs.php.net/fix.php?id=79218&r=mysqlcfg