Re: [Php-java-bridge-users] Confused about upgrading to 5.4.4.2 from 3.x

>> So why the sudden infinite loop bug?
>
> In PHP5 object->value autoconversion only works for strings, but not  
> for
> other primitive values. Until the proposed hook exists, please use a  
> string
> cast explicitly or java_is_false(), which calls ((bool)(string)$jobj)
> internally.
>
> This feature was working in PHP4 (through a low-level api), dropped  
> in PHP5.
> But I am quite sure this will work again in PHP6.

1. What is object->value autoconversion? Do you mean duck typing from  
$obj to typed values?
2. What proposed hook?
3. We've used this on PHP5 the entire time.

>> took me and someone else about 10-12 hours of
>
> I m sorry for the inconvenience, but we've had the entire 4.x  
> release for
> more than 2 years to help the transition from binary to XML. -- The  
> reason
> was that the low level binary code doesn't work well in mixed  
> environments
> (64 bit JVM vs. 32 bit PHP and vice versa), and needed recompilation  
> for
> each new PHP binary.

Our use of the bridge has been running perfectly for 2 years and we  
just haven't had to touch it. I was unaware of the "major internal  
infrastructure change" from 3.x to 4.x and didn't see any docs or  
upgrade guides to inform me.

>> Simply adding the JAVA_PREFER_VALES=true fixed the
>
> We will switch it on as soon as possible.

But what does it *do*? I've looked through the Java.inc code but it's  
just not obvious what this actually does.

Would you recommend that I upgrade my code that uses the bridge to  
work *without* this setting? Does it confer any advantages?

Is there a simple guide somewhere that explains what you have to  
understand about the bridge to make things work in PHP?

I have scoured the web site but frankly I just don't see clear  
instructions on the best practices for using the bridge.

Should I just *cast* everything? Only when the expected value is *not*  
a string? When should you use java_values vs not?

I finally see some information regarding this in the Client API docs,  
but API docs aren't really good for getting started. I'd think it'd be  
useful to have a small 1-page "client user guide" with a handful of  
best practices for all of the requisite type-juggling which isn't at  
all an *expected* thing to need to do.

Please understand that these criticisms come from love. The bridge is  
an amazing piece of software. It's run flawlessly for 2-3 years for  
us. But every time I use it I find it really confusing to try to get  
running and I feel that a small "guide" from the developers would save  
me (and other users) *tons* of time and frustration. I would write it  
myself for the project but at this point it'd just be terribly wrong!

Regards,

Alan