Fix for #3515, functional extension & tests

[ravage84]

https://cakephp.lighthouseapp.com/projects/42648-cakephp/tickets/3515

I used (string) because it is faster than strval() and there are no real benefits in this case.
Also enabled assign(), append() and prepend() to take any values convertible to string.

Removed try/catch as discussed with ADmad.
Changed the three exception expecting tests to check for PHPUnit_Framework_Error now.

[Phally]

👍

[ADmad]

I am not sure about this but the concatenation will implicitly cast to string so the explicit casting isn't needed.

[Phally]

You are right: http://codepad.viper-7.com/0RWRcJ

[ADmad]

Thanks for confirming 😄

[jippi]

👍 to docblocks + test
👎 to code changes

[markstory]

Being able to use objects that implement __toString is a nice improvement. If you remove the explicit string casts I think this is good to go.

[ravage84]

@markstory explicit string casts are now removed, objects with __toString are supported now. I assume I should add a note in the migration guide about the new support of concat() & assign() for to string convertible values as well?

[ADmad]

This will do is_array() and is_object() check for all values when in most cases it's going to a string. I am just guessing but maybe doing something like this might be more efficient / faster.

try {
    $this->_blocks[$name] = (string)$value;
} catch (Exception $e) {
    throw new CakeException(__d('cake_dev', 'Blocks can only process strings or values convertible to string.'));
}

[ADmad]

Btw the magic method is __toString, not _toString, that's why your test case fails 😄

[ADmad]

Err typecasting an array to string gives Array so my suggestion might not be the best. Though personally I wouldn't mind that.

Do we really need to put these safeguards? I say let PHP deal with the typecasting as it normally would and throw error where it would.

[ravage84]

@ADmad Even though I think it's ugly if we let Arrays through, the problem will be PEBCHAK ;-)

But you are right, we don't need so much safeguarding.
What do you think of it now?

Here a list of all related tests (for your convenience):
testBlockSet
testBlockReset
testBlockSetNull
testBlockSetObjectWithToString
testBlockSetObjectWithoutToString
testBlockSetDecimal

testBlockAppend
testBlockAppendNull
testBlockAppendObjectWithToString
testBlockAppendObjectWithoutToString
testBlockAppendDecimal

testBlockPrepend
testBlockPrependNull
testBlockPrependObjectWithToString
testBlockPrependObjectWithoutToString
testBlockPrependDecimal

[ADmad]

I say remove all safeguards and let php handle the type casting to string and throw error when required.

[ravage84]

Done so, replaced the three exception expecting tests to check for PHPUnit_Framework_Error now.
http://phpunit.de/manual/current/en/writing-tests-for-phpunit.html#writing-tests-for-phpunit.errors

Hope it's OK now.

[markstory]

Could you not replace the repetition in the tests with a dataprovider?