[SOLVED] Return Reference

[Stooney]

Is it possible to return a reference to a variable?

 

I have a registry class and want a reference to the template object so I don't make a second instance of it.  Like this:

 

$template=$registry->get('template');

$template should now be a reference to $registry->data['template']; (data is private to registry).

 

So in the registry it would look like:

public function get($key){
    if(array_key_exists($key, $this->data)){
        return &$this->data[$key];
    }
}

Now of course that return won't work, so is there a way to do this?

 

Also, singletons are out of the question.  There are times I may want multiple instances of stuff, but sometimes I just want easier access to something in the registry that I will be using often but need to keep 'globally' accessible.

[DarkWater]

PHP doesn't support pointer-like things such as that, so I don't think so. >_<

[Stooney]

That makes me very sad

[DarkWater]

Although, in re-reading your question, I feel that I should let you know that objects are automatically passed by reference, so you don't reinstantiate on copy.  Your code won't make 2 copies, and you can remove the &.