new operator and reference error

Question

 $class_name = \'MDB2_Statement_\'.$this->phptype;
        $statement = null;
        $obj =& new $class_name($this, $statement, $positions, $query, $types, $resu         


        

Answer 1

The only thing PHP is complaining about is this:

$obj =& new $class_name...
      ^

You do not need and should not use assignment by reference anymore, since objects are always references in PHP 5. Just get rid of the &, and that's it.

Answer 2

You can create reference of an object in php 5.3.10 using this way.

$firstObj = new something();
$referenceObj = &$firstObj;

Answer 3

Why do you even use the reference operator with objects? A object is placed in the memory and all variables bound to it will change its memory.

In other words

$a1 = new stdClass;
$a2 = $a1;

would have the same affect as:

$a1 = 1000;
$a2 = &$a1;