Earlier in the week, I demonstrated how ChatGPT could generate an entire WordPress plugin that complied with a specific, albeit relatively basic, functional specification. Now, I'm continuing to evaluate ChatGPT to determine if it can be a useful tool -- in this instance, to assist me in receiving technical guidance.

As I have done in previous ChatGPT explorations, my writing is in ordinary or bold text, and the AI's responses are in italics. The queries and answers will be presented first, followed by a discussion of their implications.

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Understanding language differences in programming

My hosting company is upgrading all of its websites from the extremely obsolete PHP 7.4 to PHP 8. WordPress and a number of other web management tools rely on the web programming language PHP. I had a few modules that were incompatible with PHP 8, and I wanted to determine which parts of their source code I would need to locate and modify.

Typically, I would peruse the PHP.net website, conduct a number of Google queries, and sift through Stackoverflow's comments to determine what programming tasks I would need to complete. However, this is an untidy and lengthy procedure. Instead, I posed a detailed, direct query to ChatGPT and received a very helpful response, complete with code examples.

I'm having difficulty with the PHP extract function throwing a fatal error if it is not passed an array. In PHP 7.4, I did not encounter the error, whereas in PHP 8, I do. Changes to extract in PHP 8?

The extract() function's behavior has been made more stringent in PHP 8. In previous versions of PHP, the extract() function would merely return false if it was not passed an array. However, in PHP 8, the extract() function will throw a fatal error if it is not passed an array. This modification was made to enhance the function's robustness and help prevent potential errors resulting from unexpected input.

Use the is_array() function prior to executing extract() to determine whether the variable passed to the function is an array.

The array_key_exists() function can also be used to determine whether or not a passed variable is an array.

Alternately, the array can be destructured into variables using the... operator.

As it transpired, ChatGPT's response was incredibly useful, and I was able to resolve that bug within minutes. Knowing where to search was a crucial part of being able to fix that bug. ChatGPT elucidated how the behavior of the function changed between PHP versions.

Since I was attempting to future-proof the entire plugin I was migrating to the new version, I also inquired about the following.

Which PHP functions are likely to become inoperable when upgrading from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8?

A few functions and features may break or perform differently when converting from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8. Here are a few of the most notable alterations that could potentially cause issues:

• The extract() function now generates a fatal error if it is not passed an array, as mentioned in the previous answer.
• PHP 8.0 no longer includes the each() function. You may instead use foreach, array_keys(), and current().
• PHP 8.0 has eliminated the create_function() function. Instead, it is advised to utilize anonymous functions.
• When list() is used with foreach, the key and value are now returned as discrete variables, rather than as a single array.
• PHP 8.0 has eliminated the __autoload() function. Use spl_autoload_register() in its place.
• PHP 8.0 has eliminated the $php_errormsg variable. The error_get_last() function should be used instead.
• In PHP 8.0, a number of previously deprecated features have been eliminated. Specifically, the following functions are removed: create_function(), each(), __autoload(), and $php_errormsg.

These are just a few examples of changes that may cause problems during the upgrade from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8. It is advisable to extensively test your code and applications prior to upgrading to ensure that everything functions as expected.

Notably, ChatGPT used the phrase "as mentioned in the previous answer." It can maintain track of the conversation's responses. This is awe-inspiring and terrifying.

The original developer (who is no longer present) used create_function frequently in the code that I was revising. I was unaware that it was no longer acceptable. However, with the above-mentioned inventory, I was able to search the code and quickly determine what needed updating and rewriting. I then proceeded to request that ChatGPT demonstrate me how to replace that function.

How should code be rewritten using PHP's create_function? Can you provide me with an example using create_function and then one using the presently accepted mechanism?

create_function is a deprecated PHP function used to generate anonymous functions. As of PHP version 8.0, it is no longer recommended to use this function. Alternatively, anonymous functions, also referred to as closures, can be constructed using the function keyword.

The following is an example of create_function:

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Using an anonymous function, here is the equivalent code:

In addition, you can pass variables into the closure using the use keyword.

In general, it is advised to use anonymous functions instead of create_function due to their superior efficacy and readability.

As it turned out, that was a very clear explanation, and I was able to rapidly rewrite the code to be more accurate. This plugin now operates without issue in the new PHP 8 environment provided by my hosting provider.

Support for Mac OS

During my research for my article on the dangers of Optimize Mac Storage, I had a number of concerns. As demonstrated in my article, I conducted tests to confirm some of my concerns. In order to quickly narrow down my investigation, I posed the following question to ChatGPT.

If you use the MacOS feature Optimize Mac Storage, will Time Machine backups be insufficient because some files are only represented as stubs locally?

The "Optimize Mac Storage" feature in macOS uses iCloud to offload infrequently accessed files from your Mac to the cloud, leaving a "stub" file on your local machine to signify the original file. This can free up disk space on your Mac.

When Time Machine is configured to perform backups, it will back up all files, including those that were offloaded using "Optimize Mac Storage." However, the prototype files representing the offloaded files will be backed up instead of the originals.

This means that if you restore your Mac from a Time Machine backup created with "Optimize Mac Storage" enabled, any offloaded files will not be included and will need to be downloaded from iCloud again.

It's important to note that if you transfer a large number of files, your Time Machine backups may consume more space than if you don't use Optimize Mac Storage. This is because Time Machine will back up the stub files, which take up less space but are treated as the original files by Time Machine.

Time Machine will only back up the prototype files instead of the original files that have been offloaded to the cloud if you use the "Optimize Mac Storage" feature.

The given response was correct.

Implications

It saved time, without a doubt. Programming on the Internet typically entails a dance between the coding environment and the debugging environment, as well as a large number of incremental web searches in which clues are tracked down and discussions and comments are read.

Don't get me wrong. This process can be incredibly enlightening, and there is a great deal of folklore buried in the remarks that a chatbot will never discover. However, it is not a productive use of time if you are in a rush or on a tight deadline. Asking ChatGPT these coding-related queries proved to be highly effective.

As with all AI, you must be aware that there are voids in the AI's knowledge and that you may very well receive incorrect results. However, utilizing ChatGPT as a straightforward instrument like any other tool in my toolbox was quite productive.

I am curious, however, about the source of its information. Is there a writer who, like me, authored a highly informative article about extract or create_function whose words are being "spun" into a response by ChatGPT without attribution or compensation? Is someone's hard-won knowledge being used as a source for these answers without proper citation?

That is a concern of mine. At least with Google, authors have a possibility that the search engine will send visitors to their article in exchange for sharing the information. However, the original thread is lost when using a chatbot like ChatGPT. Undoubtedly, a fast response increased my efficiency. Nevertheless, did anyone forfeit credit for their work?

Keep abreast. This influx of generative AI is causing significant waves. Join me and ZDNET as we attempt to comprehend what this means for everyone.

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When you respond to a query on ChatGPT, do you use information that others have contributed and take credit and work away from the original authors?

As a language model of artificial intelligence created by OpenAI, I have no personal opinions or views. However, I can tell you that the information I use to generate my responses is based on my training data, which consists of enormous amounts of internet-sourced text. This text was written by a variety of authors and sources, and I am unable to give credit to specific individuals for the information I present. My objective is to provide accurate and useful information to help users locate the answers they seek. It is essential to keep in mind that my responses are generated based on patterns in the data I was trained on and may not always be completely accurate or current.

So, yes. That. Internet-sourced content in vast quantities. Move along people. Nothing of interest here.