php man page for settype

SETTYPE(3)								 1								SETTYPE(3)

settype - Set the type of a variable

SYNOPSIS
       bool settype (mixed  &$var, string  $type)

DESCRIPTION
	Set the type of variable $var to $type.

PARAMETERS
	      o $var
		- The variable being converted.

	      o $type
		- Possibles values of $type are:

		     o "boolean" (or, since PHP 4.2.0, "bool")

		     o "integer" (or, since PHP 4.2.0, "int")

		     o "float" (only possible since PHP 4.2.0, for older versions use the deprecated variant "double")

		     o "string"

		     o "array"

		     o "object"

		     o "null" (since PHP 4.2.0)

RETURN VALUES
	Returns TRUE on success or FALSE on failure.

EXAMPLES
       Example #1

	      settype(3) example

	      <?php
	      $foo = "5bar"; // string
	      $bar = true;   // boolean

	      settype($foo, "integer"); // $foo is now 5   (integer)
	      settype($bar, "string");	// $bar is now "1" (string)
	      ?>

NOTES
       Note

	       Maximum value for "int" is PHP_INT_MAX.

SEE ALSO
       gettype(3), type-casting, type-juggling.

PHP Documentation Group 														SETTYPE(3)