var_export cannot process "<" some parts of stringed key names

[WebbKodsFrilansaren]

Description

I was writing a simple parser for turning var_exported PHP arrays() into [] PHP arrays and while I was experimenting in handling special edge-cases, using PHP 8.2.0 (cli) (built: Dec 6 2022 15:31:23) (ZTS Visual C++ 2019 x64), the following code:

<?php
$array = ['>GE<T' => ['users' => ['|' => [], ':' => ['id' => [],],], 'test' => [], 'about' => [],], 'POST' => ['users' => ['|' => [], ':' => ['id' => [],],],],];

echo var_export($array) . "<br>";

Resulted in this output:

array ( '>GE array ( 'users' => array ( '|' => array ( ), ':' => array ( 'id' => array ( ), ), ), 'test' => array ( ), 'about' => array ( ), ), 'POST' => array ( 'users' => array ( '|' => array ( ), ':' => array ( 'id' => array ( ), ), ), ), )

But I expected this output instead:

array ( '>GE<T' => array ( 'users' => array ( '|' => array ( ), ':' => array ( 'id' => array ( ), ), ), 'test' => array ( ), 'about' => array ( ), ), 'POST' => array ( 'users' => array ( '|' => array ( ), ':' => array ( 'id' => array ( ), ), ), ), )

However, this works just fine:

<?php
$array = ['>GET<' => ['users' => ['|' => [], ':' => ['id' => [],],], 'test' => [], 'about' => [],], 'POST' => ['users' => ['|' => [], ':' => ['id' => [],],],],];

echo var_export($array) . "<br>";

RESULT: array ( '>GET<' => array ( 'users' => array ( '|' => array ( ), ':' => array ( 'id' => array ( ), ), ), 'test' => array ( ), 'about' => array ( ), ), 'POST' => array ( 'users' => array ( '|' => array ( ), ':' => array ( 'id' => array ( ), ), ), ), )

If the stringed key begins with "<" it isn't parsed correctly by var_export, but any typical valid character(s) that come before it works. More examples (THIS is the variable going in, and BECOMES is the corresponding var_export() result):

THIS: ['<GET' => ['users' => 
BECOMES: array ( ' array ( 'users' =>

THIS: ['G<ET' => ['users' =>
BECOMES: array ( 'G array ( 'users' =>

THIS: ['GE<T' => ['users' =>
BECOMES: array ( 'GE array ( 'users' =>

THIS: ['GET<' => ['users' =>
BECOMES: array ( 'GET<' => array ( 'users' =>

All seems ok using ">":
THIS: ['>GET' => ['users' =>
BECOMES: array ( '>GET' => array ( 'users' =>

THIS: ['G>ET' => ['users' =>
BECOMES: array ( 'G>ET' => array ( 'users' =>

THIS: ['GE>T' => ['users' =>
BECOMES: array ( 'GE>T' => array ( 'users' =>

THIS: ['GET>' => ['users' =>
BECOMES: array ( 'GET>' => array ( 'users' =>

Once again; "THIS" is just part of a otherwise valid PHP array ($array) and "BECOMES" is how echo var_export($array) . "<br>";

Btw, this is my very first issue report published on GitHub! ^_^

Thanks in advance I love using PHP otherwise! <3 🫡

Best regards from Sweden,
WebbKodsFrilansaren ("WKF").

PHP Version

PS C:\xampp\htdocs> php -v
PHP 8.2.0 (cli) (built: Dec 6 2022 15:31:23) (ZTS Visual C++ 2019 x64)
Copyright (c) The PHP Group
Zend Engine v4.2.0, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies

Operating System

Windows 10 64-bit

[nielsdos]

Hi

The problem is that when you echo something to a browser, the browser will usually try to interpret your output as HTML.
Looking at this desired output: >GE<T' => array then we can see the problem will try to interpret <T' => as an HTML tag. This explains why you don't see this in the browser output.
If you execute your script on CLI, you'll see that this actually works as expected.
To make sure this renders properly in a browser, you need to escape the HTML using e.g. htmlspecialchars prior to echoing it to the browser.

[WebbKodsFrilansaren]

Hi! Thank you very much for the swift reply.

You're completely right. I was forgetting the assumed "text/html" content type in my web browser... 🤦

// Using plain text before outputting
header("Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8");

// Tested:
['<GET' => ['users' =>

// It is correctly working in var_export():
array (
  '<GET' => 
  array (
    'users' => 

Sorry for taking up your time. Take Care & Have A Nice Weekend! ^_^

Best regards from Sweden,
WebbKodsFrilansaren ("WKF").