How do I make chained objects in PHP5 classes? Examples:
$myclass->foo->bar->baz();
$this->foo->bar->baz();
Not: $myclass->foo()->bar()->baz();
See also:
http://www.talkphp.com/advanced-php-programming/1163-php5-method-chaining.html
-
remember you are able change your accepted answer :PGabriel Sosa– Gabriel Sosa2009-09-15 02:58:25 +00:00Commented Sep 15, 2009 at 2:58
-
1Gabriel Sosa is right. Chaining should be done through the methods return value (i.e. return $this;) and using $this->method1()->method2() rather than assigning an object to properties and using $this->obj1->obj2, which is unnecessary in most cases and can cause confusion.Tres– Tres2009-09-15 03:10:16 +00:00Commented Sep 15, 2009 at 3:10
Add a comment
|
3 Answers
actually this questions is ambiguous.... for me this @Geo's answer is right one.
What you (@Anti) says could be composition
This is my example for this:
<?php
class Greeting {
private $what;
private $who;
public function say($what) {
$this->what = $what;
return $this;
}
public function to($who) {
$this->who = $who;
return $this;
}
public function __toString() {
return sprintf("%s %s\n", $this->what, $this->who);
}
}
$greeting = new Greeting();
echo $greeting->say('hola')->to('gabriel'); // will print: hola gabriel
?>
2 Comments
Tres
Might I also add that this is a very elegant way of coding.
Kristoffer Bohmann
Very interesting coding. One caveat seems to be that it doesn't "document" method calls across classes - as in $url->anchor(). Still, I'm sure I will find a use for this coding style some day. Thanks.. :-)
As long as your $myclass has a member/property that is an instance itself it will work just like that.
class foo {
public $bar;
}
class bar {
public function hello() {
return "hello world";
}
}
$myclass = new foo();
$myclass->bar = new bar();
print $myclass->bar->hello();
1 Comment
Kristoffer Bohmann
Anti Veeranna's solution fits my purpose - to make readable, self-documenting code (when methods are called across classes).
In order to chain function calls like that, usually you return self ( or this ) from the function.
2 Comments
Anti Veeranna
The question is confusing, but I think this is exactly what he does NOT want to do :)
Kristoffer Bohmann
Exactly. The purpose is to "self-document" calls to methods in other classes. Good: $url->anchor(). Bad: $this->anchor(). :-)