PHP variables are assigned by value, passed to functions by value and when containing/representing objects are passed by reference. You can force variables to pass by reference using an '&'.
Assigned by value/reference example:
$var1 = "test";
$var2 = $var1;
$var2 = "new test";
$var3 = &$var2;
$var3 = "final test";
print ("var1: $var1, var2: $var2, var3: $var3);
output:
var1: test, var2: final test, var3: final test
Passed by value/reference example:
$var1 = "foo";
$var2 = "bar";
changeThem($var1, $var2);
print "var1: $var1, var2: $var2";
function changeThem($var1, &$var2){
$var1 = "FOO";
$var2 = "BAR";
}
output:
var1: foo, var2 BAR
Object variables passed by reference example:
class Foo{
public $var1;
function __construct(){
$this->var1 = "foo";
}
public function printFoo(){
print $this->var1;
}
}
$foo = new Foo();
changeFoo($foo);
$foo->printFoo();
function changeFoo($foo){
$foo->var1 = "FOO";
}
output:
FOO
(The last example could be better probably.)