[php] handle string comparison using strcmp to avoid crazy conversions

genphp.ml

@@ -1227,6 +1227,20 @@ and gen_expr ctx e =
 				gen_field_op ctx e2;
 				spr ctx ")";
 			end
+		| Ast.OpGt | Ast.OpGte | Ast.OpLt | Ast.OpLte when is_string_expr e1 ->
+			spr ctx "(strcmp(";
+			gen_field_op ctx e1;
+			spr ctx ", ";
+			gen_field_op ctx e2;
+			spr ctx ")";
+			let op_str = match op with
+				| Ast.OpGt -> ">"
+				| Ast.OpGte -> ">="
+				| Ast.OpLt -> "<"
+				| Ast.OpLte -> "<="
+				| _ -> assert false
+			in
+			print ctx "%s 0)" op_str
 		| _ ->
 			leftside e1;
 			print ctx " %s " (Ast.s_binop op);

std/php/_std/Reflect.hx

@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
 	}
 
 	public static function compare<T>( a : T, b : T ) : Int {
-		return ( a == b ) ? 0 : (((cast a) > (cast b)) ? 1 : -1);
+		return ( a == b ) ? 0 : untyped __php__("is_string($a)") ? untyped __php__("strcmp($a, $b)") : (((cast a) > (cast b)) ? 1 : -1);
 	}
 
 	public static function compareMethods( f1 : Dynamic, f2 : Dynamic ) : Bool {