Modify array with nested class

Question

I have this example class

Class RealUrlConfig
{
    private $domains = [];

    public function addDomain($host, $root_id)
    {
        $this->domains[] = [
            'host' => $host,
            'rootpage_id' => $root_id,
        ];

        return $this; // <-- I added this
    }

    public function removeDomain($host)
    {
        foreach ($this->domains as $key => $item) {
            if ($item['host'] == $host) {
                unset($this->domains[$key]);
            }
        }
    }

    public function getDomains()
    {
        return $this->domains;
    }

    /**
     * TODO: I need this
     */
    public function addAlias($alias)
    {
        $last_modify = array_pop($this->domains);
        $last_modify['alias'] = $alias;

        $this->domains[] = $last_modify;
        return $this;
    }
}

Now I'm trying to create an option to add aliases to the hosts. I could just provide the original host name and the aliases and add that to the array, but I'm trying to do this without the original host - as nested method, so that I can execute it like this:

$url_config = new RealUrlConfig;

$url_config->addDomain('example.com', 1);
$url_config->addDomain('example2.com', 2)->addAlias('www.example2.com');

I added the return $this to addDomain method, so that it returns the object, but I fail to understand, how do I know which array to modify, since I get the whole object.

I could, of course, just read the last added domain from the domains array and modify that, but I', not quite sure if that's the right way.

just for understanding, why not have a class domain(with host, rootpage_id, and aliases) and then on this class in the addDomain make a new domain and return the newly created domain instead of the RealUrlConfig ? — B.G.
– B.G., Commented Dec 29, 2016 at 15:53
@DoktorOSwaldo On returning the array, I can't modify as part of the object anymore, can it? — Peon
– Peon, Commented Dec 29, 2016 at 15:55
The answer of bcmcfc is exactly what i recommend. If you return the array instead you can modify the returned array, just return it as a reference. But an array does not have the function addAlias. — B.G.
– B.G., Commented Dec 29, 2016 at 15:58

bcmcfc · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-29 16:14:08Z

2

You'd need a class that represents the domain and has an addAlias method on it. Then you'd return that instead of $this.

The alias is a property of the domain, so logically it would make sense to model it in that way.

class Domain 
{
    // constructor not shown for brevity

    public function addAlias($alias)
    {
        $this->alias = $alias;
    }    
}

and in your original class:

public function addDomain($host, $root_id)
{
    $domain = new Domain($host, $root_id);

    // optionally index the domains by the host, so they're easier to access later
    $this->domains[$host] = $domain;
    //$this->domains[] = $domain;

    return $domain;
}

If you did want to index them by host as in the example above, you could simplify it a little:

$this->domains[$host] = new Domain($host, $root_id);
return $this->domains[$host];

Resulting in the option for:

$url_config->addDomain('example2.com', 2)->addAlias('www.example2.com');

Ideally, the config class wouldn't be responsible for the construction of the new Domain objects, as this violates the Single Responsibility Principle. Instead, you'd inject a DomainFactory object into it, which has a newDomain method.

Then you have:

$this->domans[$host] = $this->domainFactory->newDomain($host, $root_id);

in the addDomain method.

I've separated this from the rest of the answer as dependency injection is a somewhat more advanced topic.

edited Dec 29, 2016 at 16:14

answered Dec 29, 2016 at 15:52

bcmcfc

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2 Comments

Peon Over a year ago

But how do I pass the alias in the last method?

bcmcfc Over a year ago

This allows you to pass it the exact way you wanted from your question.

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