it doesn't :) every function returns a value (well, actually it doesn't have to), so if you don't do:

echo preg_replace('/foo/', 'bar', $foo);

or something with it the value gets returnet into /dev/null :)

ok, you could use:

preg_replace('/foo/', 'bar', &$foo);

wich would then modify the variable by reference. but DON't do this, as it's depreciated.

what about php & perl? perl is just plain ugly :) not readable.

what about the [] in the multiple select? the return value will be placed in the - so it will be just a variable. but to get multiple values in one object-name you've simply to use arrays..

it's more logic.

cu, Raphael.