[PHP] Return type changed in PHP >= 8-0. Fluent setters now return static.

[DamImpr]

From PHP version 8.0 onwards, the "static" return type has been adopted for fluent setters. In the "Generate Code" menu in NetBeans, no return type was assigned when fluent setters were created. This PR ensures that fluent setters, when used in a project configured with PHP version >= 8.0, correctly have the "static" return type.

[matthiasblaesing]

In general makes sense to me. I left an inline comment, regarding an unintentional change?!

@tmysik could you please have a look?

[tmysik]

@matthiasblaesing I will look into it tomorrow.

[tmysik]

Overall, it looks good to me, thank you for your work.

Just as requested in one of my comments, please add a link to the official PHP documentation describing this feature. This is always useful. Once we verify it, we are good to merge (once my comments are fixed too).

Thank you!

[DamImpr]

thank you @tmysik
I’ll check the two test methods that failed, have a look at your comments, and re-squash the commits. I’ll tag both of you in the conversation once I’ve got the actions running again

thank you

[DamImpr]

@matthiasblaesing @tmysik
I’ve fixed the two test cases that were failing, made the changes requested by @tmysik, and squashed the commits.
If there’s anything else that needs doing, just let me know 💪

[tmysik]

@DamImpr, thanks for your changes, but see my comment above - we need the official PHP documentation of this feature/change so we are correct from the implementation/support point of view. Thank you for understanding.

CC @matthiasblaesing

[DamImpr]

@tmysik Let me have a look in the official PHP documentation, in the section on the static type, to see if I can find what you need. I'll let you know

[tmysik]

Doc: https://wiki.php.net/rfc/static_return_type

Approving, thank you for your work.

[tmysik]

@DamImpr

BTW, should we consider adding also self? What do you think? 🤔

[DamImpr]

@DamImpr

BTW, should we consider adding also self? What do you think? 🤔

@tmysik In my opinion, the static return type is more appropriate than self in this case.
By creating the fluent setter with return $this, the return type will always be the actual type being called, precisely the reason why static was introduced as a return type.

[tmysik]

@DamImpr
BTW, should we consider adding also self? What do you think? 🤔

@tmysik In my opinion, the static return type is more appropriate than self in this case. By creating the fluent setter with return $this, the return type will always be the actual type being called, precisely the reason why static was introduced as a return type.

I get it and agree. I meant more - should we return self for older PHP versions? Just an idea, maybe not so important or useful at all. Sorry for not being clear from the beginning.

[DamImpr]

@DamImpr
BTW, should we consider adding also self? What do you think? 🤔

@tmysik In my opinion, the static return type is more appropriate than self in this case. By creating the fluent setter with return $this, the return type will always be the actual type being called, precisely the reason why static was introduced as a return type.

I get it and agree. I meant more - should we return self for older PHP versions? Just an idea, maybe not so important or useful at all. Sorry for not being clear from the beginning.

@tmysik It certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea to add the logic that fluent setters in PHP 7.[0-4] have self as their return type. After all, the Symfony framework used to write fluent setters with self as the return type when creating entities, before PHP 8.0 was released (it has now, of course, replaced self with static)

I’ll take the opportunity presented by this PR to do so. I’ll push the change as soon as possible.