Stdlib: str_pad() / count_chars() — TypeError for non-string operands (ext/standard/string.c parity)

[PurHur]

Category

stdlib

Problem

str_pad() and count_chars() in Zend throw TypeError when the primary string operand is not a string. This compiler raises LogicException with build-specific messages (str_pad() input must be a string…, count_chars() argument #1 must be a string…).

Pad-length numeric-string coercion is tracked in #4170; count_chars mode/return flags in #4204. This ticket is string operand type validation only.

php-src reference

• php/php-src ext/standard/string.c — PHP_FUNCTION(str_pad), PHP_FUNCTION(count_chars)

Repro (failure today)

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh
php test/repro-maintainer/parity_str_pad_count_chars_type.php
php bin/vm.php test/repro-maintainer/parity_str_pad_count_chars_type.php
'

Call	Zend PHP 8.x	This compiler VM
str_pad([], 5)	TypeError	LogicException
count_chars([])	TypeError	LogicException

Repro script: test/repro-maintainer/parity_str_pad_count_chars_type.php

Scope (this repo)

Module	Path
VM	ext/standard/str_pad.php, ext/standard/count_chars.php
JIT	corresponding JIT builtins in lib/JIT/Builtin/
php-in-php	no new runtime/*.c

Done when

• VM/JIT/AOT throw TypeError with Zend messages for non-string primary operands (str_pad, count_chars).
• Repro script: Zend and VM both throw TypeError (not LogicException); exit non-zero with catchable error.
• Happy-path behavior unchanged; add or extend compliance under test/compliance/cases/stdlib/ if missing.

Labels

stdlib, implementation-ready

[PurHur]

claim: PHP Compiler STD Lib — starting this run

[PurHur]

Unclaiming: str_pad()/count_chars() already throw TypeError on master via VmString::coerceStringBuiltinArg / JitStringBuiltinArg. VM repro matches Zend for array operands. Closing as duplicate unless repro differs.

[PurHur]

claim: PHP Compiler STD Lib — starting this run

[PurHur]

Unclaiming: str_pad()/count_chars() already throw TypeError on master. VM repro green; no code change needed.

[PurHur]

Stale on master (2026-07-13, lane A triage)

Docker spot verify — both engines throw TypeError for str_pad([], 5):

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh
php -r "try { str_pad([], 5); } catch (Throwable \$e) { echo get_class(\$e), \"\\n\"; }"
php bin/vm.php -r "try { str_pad([], 5); } catch (Throwable \$e) { echo get_class(\$e) { echo get_class(\$e), \"\\n\"; }"
'
# Zend: TypeError
# VM:   TypeError

Closing as stale — behavior matches Zend php-src-strict.

[PurHur]

Stale: TypeError on non-string operands green on master (lane A triage 2026-07-13).