PHP invoke method using string for method name

Question

I would like to have an array of methods in my php class, indexed with method names, so that I can do something like this:

public function executeMethod($methodName){
 $method=$this->methodArray[$methodName];
 $this->$method();
 // or some other way to call a method whose name is stored in variable $methodName
}

I've found this for __call:

The overloading methods are invoked when interacting with properties or methods that have not been declared or are not visible in the current scope

However, methods I'd like to use in executeMethod are visible.

What is proper way to do that? Is it possible?

EDIT: I wanted to get a method name in the executeMethod, and then call the method of the given name, and had an idea of methods array.

Can you show what $this->methodArray contents look like? How does the value differ from the key? — Chris Trahey
– Chris Trahey, Commented Mar 28, 2013 at 16:40
I didn't know how to call methods, but thanks to answers below, I figured it out. I wanted something like this: $methodArray = (methodName=>method), but having read that I can call methods by using string, I made it work. : ) — Milos
– Milos, Commented Mar 28, 2013 at 19:11
See also stackoverflow.com/questions/45458840. This question addresses the former title of this question "how to get methods into an array". The answers in this post never addressed this part. — dreftymac
– dreftymac, Commented May 1, 2018 at 18:35

dm03514 · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-28 16:40:33Z

1

you can call object methods and properties by using string with syntax

$method = 'your_method_name_as_string';
$this->$method();

from php doc

<?php
class Foo
{
    function Variable()
    {
        $name = 'Bar';
        $this->$name(); // This calls the Bar() method
    }

    function Bar()
    {
        echo "This is Bar";
    }
}

$foo = new Foo();
$funcname = "Variable";
$foo->$funcname();  // This calls $foo->Variable()

?>

answered Mar 28, 2013 at 16:40

dm03514

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1 Comment

Milos Over a year ago

Thanks. I didn't know that I can call methods with string variables. Now I don't need an array of methods. You helped me a lot! : )

aorcsik · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-28 16:40:47Z

0

Maybe you are looking for something like this:

public function executeMethod($methodName) {
    if (isset($this->methodArray[$methodName])) {
        $method = $this->methodArray[$methodName];
        return call_user_func(array($this, $method));
    }
    throw new Exception("There is no such method!");
}

answered Mar 28, 2013 at 16:40

aorcsik

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Comments

David Chan · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-28 16:44:47Z

0

anonymous functions are available in php 5.3

i think you're trying to do something like

$tmp['doo'] = function() { echo "DOO"; };
$tmp['foo'] = function() { echo "FOO"; };
$tmp['goo'] = function() { echo "GOO"; };

$tmp['doo']();

answered Mar 28, 2013 at 16:44

David Chan

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