--TEST-- Returning a reference from a function via another function --FILE-- 1. Via a return by ref function call, assign by reference the return value of a function that returns by value:\n"; unset($a, $b); $a = 4; $b = &returnFunctionCallByRef('returnConstantByValue'); $a++; var_dump($a, $b); echo "\n---> 2. Via a return by ref function call, assign by reference the return value of a function that returns a constant by ref:\n"; unset($a, $b); $a = 4; $b = &returnFunctionCallByRef('returnConstantByRef'); $a++; var_dump($a, $b); echo "\n---> 3. Via a return by ref function call, assign by reference the return value of a function that returns by ref:\n"; unset($a, $b); $a = 4; $b = &returnFunctionCallByRef('returnVariableByRef'); $a++; var_dump($a, $b); ?> --EXPECTF-- ---> 1. Via a return by ref function call, assign by reference the return value of a function that returns by value: Notice: Only variable references should be returned by reference in %s on line 15 int(5) int(100) ---> 2. Via a return by ref function call, assign by reference the return value of a function that returns a constant by ref: Notice: Only variable references should be returned by reference in %s on line 7 int(5) int(100) ---> 3. Via a return by ref function call, assign by reference the return value of a function that returns by ref: int(5) int(5)