Convert array columns inside rows to PHP arrays

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -17,6 +17,15 @@ and the project aims to follow [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
   unsupported and is rejected with a clear error). Previously any VARIADIC
   declaration failed.
 
+### Changed
+
+- **Array columns inside rows are PHP arrays now.** An array-typed column in
+  `$_TD['new']`/`['old']`, in rows from `spi_fetch_row`/`spi_fetchrow`, or in
+  a composite argument's fields used to arrive as its literal text form
+  (`{a,b}`); it now converts to a PHP array, and converts back when assigned
+  (e.g. trigger `MODIFY`). Code that string-parsed those values should use
+  the array directly.
+
 ### Fixed
 
 - **PHP 8.1, 8.2, and 8.4 compatibility.** PL/php now builds and passes the

doc/plphp.md

@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ function. In practice:
 | boolean                        | `"t"` / `"f"` string | `true` / `false`, or `"t"`/`"f"` |
 | arrays (e.g. `int[]`)          | PHP array            | PHP array               |
 | composite / row / record       | associative array    | associative array       |
+
+Array-typed *columns* inside rows — in `$_TD['new']`/`['old']`, rows from
+`spi_fetch_row`/`spi_fetchrow`, and composite arguments' fields — also arrive
+as PHP arrays, and can be assigned back as arrays (e.g. before a trigger
+`MODIFY`).
 | NULL                           | unset / null         | `return;` or `null`     |
 
 Arrays map naturally, including multidimensional arrays:

expected/arrays.out

@@ -136,3 +136,62 @@ select bytea_read('\xdeadbeef');
  DEADBEEF
 (1 row)
 
+-- array-typed columns inside rows arrive as PHP arrays (not "{...}" strings):
+-- via SPI rows...
+create table arrt (id int, tags text[], nums int[]);
+insert into arrt values (1, array['red', 'b"lue'], array[10, 20, 30]);
+create function arr_in_row() returns text language plphp as $$
+	$r = spi_exec("select * from arrt");
+	$row = spi_fetch_row($r);
+	return gettype($row['tags']) . " " . $row['tags'][1] . " " . array_sum($row['nums']);
+$$;
+select arr_in_row();
+   arr_in_row   
+----------------
+ array b"lue 60
+(1 row)
+
+-- ...via cursor rows...
+create function arr_in_cursor() returns int language plphp as $$
+	$c = spi_query("select nums from arrt");
+	$row = spi_fetchrow($c);
+	return count($row['nums']);
+$$;
+select arr_in_cursor();
+ arr_in_cursor 
+---------------
+             3
+(1 row)
+
+-- ...in $_TD for triggers, and writable back through MODIFY
+create function arr_trig() returns trigger language plphp as $$
+	pg_raise('notice', 'tags is ' . gettype($_TD['new']['tags'])
+		. ' with ' . count($_TD['new']['tags']) . ' elements');
+	$_TD['new']['tags'][] = 'added';
+	return 'MODIFY';
+$$;
+create trigger arrt_trg before insert on arrt
+	for each row execute procedure arr_trig();
+insert into arrt values (2, array['green'], array[1]);
+NOTICE:  plphp: tags is array with 1 elements
+select tags from arrt where id = 2;
+     tags      
+---------------
+ {green,added}
+(1 row)
+
+drop trigger arrt_trg on arrt;
+-- ...and in composite-type arguments
+create type with_arr as (label text, vals int[]);
+create function arr_in_comp(with_arr) returns int language plphp as $$
+	return array_sum($args[0]['vals']);
+$$;
+select arr_in_comp(row('x', array[5, 6, 7])::with_arr);
+ arr_in_comp 
+-------------
+          18
+(1 row)
+
+drop function arr_in_row(), arr_in_cursor(), arr_in_comp(with_arr), arr_trig();
+drop type with_arr;
+drop table arrt;

plphp_io.c

@@ -22,6 +22,26 @@
 #include "utils/syscache.h"
 #include "utils/memutils.h"
 
+/*
+ * plphp_add_row_value
+ * 		Add one column's text value to a row hash under attname, converting
+ * 		array-typed columns to PHP arrays (like the argument conversion
+ * 		does) rather than leaving them as literal "{...}" strings.
+ */
+static void
+plphp_add_row_value(zval *row, char *attname, Oid atttypid, char *value)
+{
+	if (OidIsValid(get_element_type(atttypid)))
+	{
+		zval	   *arr = plphp_convert_from_pg_array(value);
+
+		add_assoc_zval(row, attname, arr);
+		efree(arr);
+	}
+	else
+		add_assoc_string(row, attname, value);
+}
+
 /*
  * plphp_zval_from_tuple
  *		 Build a PHP hash from a tuple.
@@ -46,8 +66,7 @@ plphp_zval_from_tuple(HeapTuple tuple, TupleDesc tupdesc)
 		/* get its value */
 		if ((attdata = SPI_getvalue(tuple, tupdesc, i + 1)) != NULL)
 		{
-			/* add_assoc_string copies the string in PHP 7+ */
-			add_assoc_string(array, attname, attdata);
+			plphp_add_row_value(array, attname, att->atttypid, attdata);
 			pfree(attdata);
 		}
 		else
@@ -573,7 +592,7 @@ plphp_build_tuple_argument(HeapTuple tuple, TupleDesc tupdesc)
 
 		/* Append the attribute name and the value to the list. */
 		outputstr = OidOutputFunctionCall(typoutput, attr_datum);
-		add_assoc_string(output, attname, outputstr);
+		plphp_add_row_value(output, attname, att->atttypid, outputstr);
 		pfree(outputstr);
 	}
 

sql/arrays.sql

@@ -81,3 +81,46 @@ create function bytea_read(bytea) returns text language plphp as $$
 	return strtoupper(substr($args[0], 2));
 $$;
 select bytea_read('\xdeadbeef');
+
+-- array-typed columns inside rows arrive as PHP arrays (not "{...}" strings):
+-- via SPI rows...
+create table arrt (id int, tags text[], nums int[]);
+insert into arrt values (1, array['red', 'b"lue'], array[10, 20, 30]);
+create function arr_in_row() returns text language plphp as $$
+	$r = spi_exec("select * from arrt");
+	$row = spi_fetch_row($r);
+	return gettype($row['tags']) . " " . $row['tags'][1] . " " . array_sum($row['nums']);
+$$;
+select arr_in_row();
+
+-- ...via cursor rows...
+create function arr_in_cursor() returns int language plphp as $$
+	$c = spi_query("select nums from arrt");
+	$row = spi_fetchrow($c);
+	return count($row['nums']);
+$$;
+select arr_in_cursor();
+
+-- ...in $_TD for triggers, and writable back through MODIFY
+create function arr_trig() returns trigger language plphp as $$
+	pg_raise('notice', 'tags is ' . gettype($_TD['new']['tags'])
+		. ' with ' . count($_TD['new']['tags']) . ' elements');
+	$_TD['new']['tags'][] = 'added';
+	return 'MODIFY';
+$$;
+create trigger arrt_trg before insert on arrt
+	for each row execute procedure arr_trig();
+insert into arrt values (2, array['green'], array[1]);
+select tags from arrt where id = 2;
+drop trigger arrt_trg on arrt;
+
+-- ...and in composite-type arguments
+create type with_arr as (label text, vals int[]);
+create function arr_in_comp(with_arr) returns int language plphp as $$
+	return array_sum($args[0]['vals']);
+$$;
+select arr_in_comp(row('x', array[5, 6, 7])::with_arr);
+
+drop function arr_in_row(), arr_in_cursor(), arr_in_comp(with_arr), arr_trig();
+drop type with_arr;
+drop table arrt;