using {{? ?}} php tag, we cannot override existing variable.

[dadaxr]

Bug description

In an antlers template creating a variable with a native php tag works fine :

{{? $newVar = "test"; ?}}
{{ newVar|dump }} {{# output "test" #}}

altering this newly created variable also works fine :

{{? $newVar = $newVar."_updated"; ?}}
{{ newVar|dump }} {{# output "test_updated" #}}

BUT, if the variable already exists in the cascade, we cannot alter it ...

For instance, if the "title" variable already exists in the cascade with the value "myTitle", it wont be updated...

{{? $title= "overridden title"; ?}}
{{ title|dump }} {{# still output "myTitle" instead of "overridden title" #}}

interestingly, if within the {{? ?}} tag itself, the override happens :

{{? $title= "overridden title"; dd($title}} ?}} {{# outputs "overriden title" #}}

note it's a project with statamic 3.4.11, but i'm pretty sure it also happens on the last versions...

How to reproduce

just use the above examples

Logs

No response

Environment

Environment
Application Name: Statamic leporc
Laravel Version: 9.52.7
PHP Version: 8.1.14
Composer Version: 2.5.1
Environment: local
Debug Mode: ENABLED
URL: leporc.localhost
Maintenance Mode: OFF

Cache
Config: NOT CACHED
Events: NOT CACHED
Routes: NOT CACHED
Views: CACHED

Drivers
Broadcasting: log
Cache: statamic
Database: mysql
Logs: stack / single
Mail: smtp
Queue: sync
Session: file

Statamic
Addons: 2
Antlers: runtime
Stache Watcher: Disabled
Static Caching: Disabled
Version: 3.4.11 PRO

Installation

Fresh statamic/statamic site via CLI

Additional details

No response

[duncanmcclean]

@JohnathonKoster Do you have any ideas about what's happening here?

[JohnathonKoster]

@JohnathonKoster Do you have any ideas about what's happening here?

Its leveraging previous assignments inside Antlers, or entirely new variables created inside PHP in order to detect what should be pushed back up after executing the PHP code. This could be expanded to also include a "did variable change" check.

For example, if we had something like this, it would pick up on the change since title is available in its list of items to pay attention to (not saying this is the solution, just an example to help demonstrate):

{{ title = title /}}
{{? $title = 'a new title'; ?}}
{{ title /}}

[dadaxr]

From my point of view, having php tags able to manipulate the current context (and its existing variables) is a powerful feature. On the contrary, not beeing able to do it, seems counter intuitive (+ the fact it's not documented).