php - syntax error, unexpected '(', expecting ')'

Question

I was developing a site using Laravel 4. I had this piece of code in one of my models:

class MyModel extends Eloquent {
    protected $var = array(
        "label" => Lang::get("messages.label"),
        "code" => "myCode",
    );
    ...
}

But I gave this syntax error on the line where I used Lang::get:

syntax error, unexpected '(', expecting ')'

Then I changed my code into this:

class MyModel extends Eloquent {
    protected $var;

    public function __construct() {
        $this->var = array(
            "label" => Lang::get("messages.label"),
            "code" => "myCode",
        );
    }
}

And the error went gone! I think the error is very confusing and unhelpful. Why does php show this error message?

possible duplicate of Getting an error trying to initialize this public class variable using dirname() outside a method — Shankar Narayana Damodaran
– Shankar Narayana Damodaran, Commented Apr 27, 2014 at 5:25

Sverri M. Olsen · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-27 05:32:51Z

3

It is because you use Lang::get() when defining a class property, which is not allowed. Calling stuff like static methods can only be done at runtime (when the code is being executed).

When you define classes their properties can only be non-variable (or "constant") values (such as integers, strings or arrays that themselves only contain non-variable values).

Runtime code should be put into the constructor.

edited Apr 27, 2014 at 5:32

answered Apr 27, 2014 at 5:27

Sverri M. Olsen

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2 Comments

morksinaanab Over a year ago

This might be the fricking least explaining error message in PHP I have ever come accross to show in this case. Man, I was banging my head against the wall.

Sverri M. Olsen Over a year ago

@morksinaanab Yeah, you have to know how PHP works in order to understand the error, and even then it is not really that apparent. Error messages have been improved somewhat in newer versions of PHP, though.

thexacre · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-27 05:24:18Z

1

The issue is because you're calling Lang::get which is a function when initializing your class attribute, and default values for class attributes can only be constant values.

You're correct to initialise these attributes in the constructor instead.

answered Apr 27, 2014 at 5:24

thexacre

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