call_user_func vs variable variables in PHP

Question

Is there a significant difference between call_user_func and using variable variables?

Take for example a class such as this:

class someClass{

    protected function action_this() { ... }
    protected function action_that() { ... }

}

Is this better or more efficient

class myClass extends someClass{

    public function doAction($action='this'){
        $method="action_{$action}";
        if(is_callable (array($this,$method)) ){
            call_user_func(array($this,$method));
        }
    }

}

than

class myClass extends someClass{

    public function doAction($action='this'){
        $method="action_{$action}";
        if(is_callable (array($this,$method)) ){
            $this->$method();
        }
    }

}

Are there conditions under which one might be preferred over the other?

If you're passing arguments to a function, which do you think would be more appropriate or easier to use? — Mark Baker
– Mark Baker, Commented Dec 26, 2014 at 23:26
AFAIK, call_user_func is just the older way -- it was the only way to do it before they added variable functions. Now I would use variable functions. — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Dec 26, 2014 at 23:30

hakre · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-26 23:46:30Z

5

Your example lacks clarity.

Normally it's better to have some understandable code:

$callback = array($this, $method):

if (is_callable($callback)) {
    call_user_func($callback);
}

However depending on taste, you might prefer:

if (is_callable($callback)) {
    $callback();
}

I wouldn't favor the one over the other but take the one that works.

That being said I would strongly try to not make use of magic at such a point and I personally prefer to call explicitly defined methods by their defined name and not by variable. Just to not introduce hard to debug magic.

edited Dec 26, 2014 at 23:46

answered Dec 26, 2014 at 23:37

hakre

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