whats the & in php?

[VistaBoy]

Okay say i have this in a class

$this->db = &$db;

whats the & do??

[Wayne]

Read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%26#Computing

[Invent]

It makes $this->db a reference of $db.

[Source]

I think the best way to explain it is, its an alias. A nickname to a person if you will.

[Calon]

Try learning the operators.

http://uk2.php.net/operators

[Dentafrice]

It's called references, although I like to refer to them as aliases (don't ask ;P).

It basically means this:



$a = 1;
$b = $a;


When you set $b to be $a, it sets the value of $b to 1, until you change it.

When you do this:



$a = 1;
$b = & $a;

$a = 2; // means $b will also be 2, as it is a reference of $a.


$b is just another name for $a.

[L?KE]

I didn't know this.

thanks :D

[VistaBoy]

It's called references, although I like to refer to them as aliases (don't ask ;P).

It basically means this:



$a = 1;
$b = $a;
When you set $b to be $a, it sets the value of $b to 1, until you change it.

When you do this:



$a = 1;
$b = & $a;

$a = 2; // means $b will also be 2, as it is a reference of $a.
$b is just another name for $a.

Thank you i have done it to my scripts as with out it, it never worked now i know why i am happy :D

[Hypertext]

It's called references, although I like to refer to them as aliases (don't ask ;P).

It basically means this:



$a = 1;
$b = $a;


When you set $b to be $a, it sets the value of $b to 1, until you change it.

When you do this:



$a = 1;
$b = & $a;

$a = 2; // means $b will also be 2, as it is a reference of $a.


$b is just another name for $a.

Ah, that clears things up, thanks.