--TEST-- ReflectionClass::getInterfaces() - odd ampersand behaviour. --CREDITS-- Robin Fernandes Steve Seear --FILE-- x = 1; var_dump($a); echo "\n\nObtain the array of interfaces implemented by C.\n"; interface I {} class C implements I {} $rc = new ReflectionClass('C'); $a = $rc->getInterfaces(); echo "The result is an array in which each element is an object (an instance of ReflectionClass)\n"; echo "Var_dumping this array shows that the elements are referenced. By what?\n"; var_dump($a); echo "Modify the object, and it is apparently no longer referenced.\n"; $a['I']->x = 1; var_dump($a); ?> --EXPECTF-- An object is in an array and is referenced. As expected, var_dumping the array shows '&': array(1) { [0]=> &object(stdClass)#%d (0) { } } Naturally, this remains true if we modify the object: array(1) { [0]=> &object(stdClass)#%d (1) { ["x"]=> int(1) } } Obtain the array of interfaces implemented by C. The result is an array in which each element is an object (an instance of ReflectionClass) Var_dumping this array shows that the elements are referenced. By what? array(1) { ["I"]=> &object(ReflectionClass)#%d (1) { ["name"]=> string(1) "I" } } Modify the object, and it is apparently no longer referenced. array(1) { ["I"]=> object(ReflectionClass)#%d (2) { ["name"]=> string(1) "I" ["x"]=> int(1) } }