This is one way to check if is a reference
<?php
$a = 1;
$b =& $a;
$c = 2;
$d = 3;
$e = array($a);
function is_reference($var){
$val = $GLOBALS[$var];
$tmpArray = array();
/**
* Add keys/values without reference
*/
foreach($GLOBALS as $k => $v){
if(!is_array($v)){
$tmpArray[$k] = $v;
}
}
/**
* Change value of rest variables
*/
foreach($GLOBALS as $k => $v){
if($k != 'GLOBALS'
&& $k != '_POST'
&& $k != '_GET'
&& $k != '_COOKIE'
&& $k != '_FILES'
&& $k != $var
&& !is_array($v)
){
usleep(1);
$GLOBALS[$k] = md5(microtime());
}
}
$bool = $val != $GLOBALS[$var];
/**
* Restore defaults values
*/
foreach($tmpArray as $k => $v){
$GLOBALS[$k] = $v;
}
return $bool;
}
var_dump(is_reference('a'));
var_dump(is_reference('b'));
var_dump(is_reference('c'));
var_dump(is_reference('d'));
?>
This won't check if reference is inside a array.