Joomla PHP error within page content - php

Question

Warning: Parameter 3 to showBlogSection() expected to be a reference, value given in /home/smartsta/public_html/includes/Cache/Lite/Function.php on line 100
I'm getting the above error displaying within my content areas on my Joomla site all a sudden, any suggestions?
Update: No such luck finding access to defined file and directory within godaddy ftp file directory, ftp, or Joomal C-panel.
Within FTP, I cannot find access to this particular file to investigate what is on line 100.
Within the Joomla panel, in Global Configurations, I was able to toggle 'error message' to none for atleast this error to be hidden. Within the cache directory I do not see any options to get into the folder, though it displays.
I also see this at the bottom of that c-panel screen, but just links to a joomla help site, and within the fields I do not see described area to toggle 'ON or OFF'
"Following PHP Server Settings are not optimal for Security and it is recommended to change them:
PHP register_globals setting is ON instead of OFF
"
Update2!:
I've found the file in question, below is the code. Line 100 only states:
global $$object_123456789;
application/x-httpd-php Function.php
PHP script text
<?php
/**
* This class extends Cache_Lite and can be used to cache the result and output of functions/methods
*
* This class is completly inspired from Sebastian Bergmann's
* PEAR/Cache_Function class. This is only an adaptation to
* Cache_Lite
*
* There are some examples in the 'docs/examples' file
* Technical choices are described in the 'docs/technical' file
*
* #package Cache_Lite
* #version $Id: Function.php 47 2005-09-15 02:55:27Z rhuk $
* #author Sebastian BERGMANN <sb#sebastian-bergmann.de>
* #author Fabien MARTY <fab#php.net>
*/
// no direct access
defined( '_VALID_MOS' ) or die( 'Restricted access' );
require_once( $mosConfig_absolute_path . '/includes/Cache/Lite.php' );
class Cache_Lite_Function extends Cache_Lite
{
// --- Private properties ---
/**
* Default cache group for function caching
*
* #var string $_defaultGroup
*/
var $_defaultGroup = 'Cache_Lite_Function';
// --- Public methods ----
/**
* Constructor
*
* $options is an assoc. To have a look at availables options,
* see the constructor of the Cache_Lite class in 'Cache_Lite.php'
*
* Comparing to Cache_Lite constructor, there is another option :
* $options = array(
* (...) see Cache_Lite constructor
* 'defaultGroup' => default cache group for function caching (string)
* );
*
* #param array $options options
* #access public
*/
function Cache_Lite_Function($options = array(NULL))
{
if (isset($options['defaultGroup'])) {
$this->_defaultGroup = $options['defaultGroup'];
}
$this->Cache_Lite($options);
}
/**
* Calls a cacheable function or method (or not if there is already a cache for it)
*
* Arguments of this method are read with func_get_args. So it doesn't appear
* in the function definition. Synopsis :
* call('functionName', $arg1, $arg2, ...)
* (arg1, arg2... are arguments of 'functionName')
*
* #return mixed result of the function/method
* #access public
*/
function call()
{
$arguments = func_get_args();
$id = serialize($arguments); // Generate a cache id
if (!$this->_fileNameProtection) {
$id = md5($id);
// if fileNameProtection is set to false, then the id has to be hashed
// because it's a very bad file name in most cases
}
$data = $this->get($id, $this->_defaultGroup);
if ($data !== false) {
$array = unserialize($data);
$output = $array['output'];
$result = $array['result'];
} else {
ob_start();
ob_implicit_flush(false);
$target = array_shift($arguments);
if (strstr($target, '::')) { // classname::staticMethod
list($class, $method) = explode('::', $target);
$result = call_user_func_array(array($class, $method), $arguments);
} else if (strstr($target, '->')) { // object->method
// use a stupid name ($objet_123456789 because) of problems when the object
// name is the same as this var name
list($object_123456789, $method) = explode('->', $target);
global $$object_123456789;
$result = call_user_func_array(array($$object_123456789, $method), $arguments);
} else { // function
$result = call_user_func_array($target, $arguments);
}
$output = ob_get_contents();
ob_end_clean();
$array['output'] = $output;
$array['result'] = $result;
$this->save(serialize($array), $id, $this->_defaultGroup);
}
echo($output);
return $result;
}
}
?>

Answer 1

It is not exactly an error. It is a warning.
Suddenly? Perhaps you have upgraded/updated your PHP version. Or changed PHP configuration to "strict mode".
The message "expected to be a reference, value given" means the called function expected to receive a reference, not a value. Look:
$something = 9;
show_section($something);
// here you are passing a variable
// this will be accepted as a reference
show_section(9);
// here you are NOT passing a reference
// here you are passing a VALUE
When you pass "by reference", the function can change the variable value... in the example above:
function show_section(&$parameter) {
$parameter = 'changed!';
}
Note the ampersand symbol & before the $parameter - this is how we specify a function requires a REFERENCE.
AFTER the function call, in the example above, the variable $something value will be the changed! string.
The line throwing the error is NOT the "global" one. It is the next:
$result = call_user_func_array(array($$object_123456789, $method), $arguments);
The problem here is that the function is being called indirectly by using the "call_user_func_array" function.
A solution would be transforming all arguments into references. Suggestion:
foreach ($arguments as $count => $value)
{
$param = 'param' . $count;
$$param = $value;
$arguments[$count] = &$$param;
}
Put the code above in the beginning of the call function, right after the following line:
$id = serialize($arguments);
Give this a try!