DocumentationHackReferenceClassHH\VectortoVector

HH\Vector::toVector

Returns a copy of the current Vector

public function toVector(): Vector<Tv>;

Returns

Vector<Tv> - A Vector that is a copy of the current Vector.

Examples

This example shows how toVector() returns a copy of $v (a new Vector object), so mutating this new Vector doesn't affect the original.

$v = Vector {'red', 'green', 'blue', 'yellow'};

// Make a new Vector that is a copy of $v (i.e. contains the same elements)
$v2 = $v->toVector();

// Modify $v2 by adding an element
$v2->add('purple');
\var_dump($v2);

// The original Vector $v doesn't include 'purple'
\var_dump($v);

This example shows how toVector() returns a shallow copy of $v (a new Vector object containing the same elements) rather than a deep copy (a new Vector object containing copies of the elements of $v that are themselves objects).

Thus, mutating an element of $v that is itself an object also mutates the corresponding element of $v2, since the element in $v is the same object as the element in $v2.

$inner = Vector {1, 2, 3};
$v = Vector {Vector {'a'}, $inner, Vector {'c'}};

// Make a Vector copy of $v
$v2 = $v->toVector();

// Modify the original Vector $v's inner Vector by adding an element
$v[1]->add(4);

// The original Vector $v's inner Vector includes 4.
\var_dump($v);

// The new Vector $v2's inner Vector also includes 4. toVector() only does a shallow copy.
\var_dump($v2);