PHP __set magic method

Question

I just came across this piece of code, but I can't seem to understand what the body means:

public function __set($propName, $propValue)
{
    $this->{$propName} = $propValue;
}

what does $this->{$propName} do?

Look it up php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.overloading.php#object.set — ka_lin
– ka_lin, Commented Dec 17, 2015 at 17:33
sorry @KA_lin, my question is not on how to use magic methods, but on what the code does, I can't seem to understand the curly brace — George
– George, Commented Dec 17, 2015 at 17:37

Ihor Burlachenko · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-17 17:35:41Z

2

$this->{$propName} accesses property named $propName. If $propName === 'name' then $this->{$propName} is the same as $this->name.

More information here: http://php.net/manual/en/language.variables.variable.php

answered Dec 17, 2015 at 17:35

Ihor Burlachenko

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random_user_name · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-17 17:41:20Z

1

The curly braces cause the variable between them to be interpolated. This can be useful in a variety of places, but in this particular place it's effectively doing this:

// if $propName = 'mike';
$this->{$propName} = 'X';
// Results in:
$this->mike = 'X';

// if $propName = 'cart';
$this->{$propName} = 'full';
// Results in:
$this->cart = 'full';

// if $propName = 'version';
$this->{$propName} = 3;
// Results in:
$this->version = 3;

answered Dec 17, 2015 at 17:41

random_user_name

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1 Comment

George Over a year ago

Thanks a lot, now I understand it better

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