Function Return object - php

I was following a tutorial that I got a problem
function old($field) {
return request($field);
}
function request($field = null) {
$request = new \App\Helper\Request();
if(is_null($field))
return $request;
return $request->input($field);
}
I can't figure out why we should set $filed as null and what happens while using two return?the usage of old function is keeping true values after validation in register menu textboxes
the following source code is request class which manages the requests:
class Request
{
public function input($filed, $post = true)
{
if ($this->isPost() && $post)
return isset($_POST[$filed]) ? htmlspecialchars($_POST[$filed]) : "";
return isset($_GET[$filed]) ? htmlspecialchars($_GET[$filed]) : "";
}
public function all($post = true)
{
if ($this->isPost() && $post)
return isset($_POST) ? array_map('htmlspecialchars' , $_POST) : null;
return isset($_GET) ?array_map('htmlspecialchars' , $_GET) : null;
}
public function isPost()
{
return $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST';
}
}
PS:if someone needs more information, please tell me I will send the complete source code.
Thank you

i can't figure out why we should set $field as null and what happens while using two return?
You are not setting $field to null but $field here is an optional argument that means, if no argument is passed to the function, null will be used as default value.
And then this:
$request = new \App\Helper\Request();
if(is_null($field))
return $request;
return $request->input($field);
simply means, if $field is null then return the result of new \App\Helper\Request() otherwise the result of $request->input($field) where $request=new \App\Helper\Request()
Even if I may have just one single line instruction inside if statement, I prefer to use parenthesis for more readability and best understanding.

Related

PHP - What's the best way to handle empty function/method arguments?

I have the function/method below inside a class that I'm creating and I'm just wondering what's the best way to handle empty/null arguments.
For example, in the following example, if I wanted to just set just the category when calling the function, I would need to use:
$data = $class->get_top_headlines( null, 'technology' );
Is there any way of calling the function more efficiently? I know I could pass the arguments as an array instead, but just wondered if there's any way of doing something like:
$data = $class->get_top_headlines( $category='technology' ); and automatically leaving the other arguments as their default of null?
public function get_top_headlines( $query=null, $category=null, $country=null, $sources=null, $page_size=null, $page=null ){
$url = $this->api_url . $this->endpoint_top_headlines;
$params = array();
if ( $query !== null ){
$params['q'] = urlencode( $query );
}
if ( $category !== null ){
$params['category'] = $category;
}
if ( $country !== null ){
$params['country'] = $country;
}
if ( $sources !== null ){
$params['sources'] = $sources;
}
if ( $page_size !== null ){
$params['pageSize'] = $page_size;
}
if ( $page !== null ){
$params['page'] = $page;
}
$params['apiKey'] = $this->api_key;
$url_query = http_build_query( $params );
$url = $url . '?' . $url_query;
echo $url;
$obj = $this->get_response( $url );
return $obj;
}
Try passing an array, and then using an array_merge
$data = $class->get_top_headlines(['category' => 'technology']);
Then in your function, have an array of defaults, then do your merge.
$settings = array_merge($settings, $passedInArray);
http://php.net/manual/en/function.array-merge.php
I think
(null, 'technology' );
might be less actual coding but a different solution might be to use OOP. You said it's already a method of a class so you could do something like:
$obj = new thatClass;
$obj->technology = $technology;
$obj->get_top_headlines();
in the Class:
Class thatClass{
$technology = null;
$category = null;
$query = null;
//...
public function get_top_headlines(){
if ( $this->query !== null ){
$params['q'] = urlencode( $this->query );
}
if ( $this->category !== null ){
$params['category'] = $this->category;
}
if ( $this->technology !== null ){
$params['technology'] = $this->technology;
}
//method code..
}
//class code..
}
The problem with this approach is if you need to call that same function again passing a different parameter in the same class instance, depending on your application you might need to manually set back to null the previous parameter (now an object attribute)
I would solve this problem by creating a new class or data structure which will encapsulate all the logic of validating and generating the URL and then use it everywhere I need it.
Here's a sample class.
class HeadLineParameters
{
private $params = [];
public function setQuery($query)
{
// validate/transform query data
$this->params['q'] = urlencode($query);
return $this;
}
public function setCategory($category)
{
// validate/transform category data
$this->params['category'] = $category;
return $this;
}
public function generateUrl()
{
return http_build_query( $this->params );
}
}
$params = new HeadLineParameters;
$params->setQuery($query)
->setCategory($category);
You just pass one argument and you know that it's just an instance of HeadLineParameters.
$class->get_top_headlines($params);
This solution doesn't pollute your current class with unnecessary state or fields. It is easy to test, and it has only one job. You can extend it easily, you can set default values, you can also validate it as you like.
Edit: Why you shouldn't add more fields to your current class?
If you add more fields to your current class you'll be breaking the single responsibility principle, and any method of this class can change these fields too. It shouldn't be a problem if these fields really belong there and more methods require them. This is fine if you are using OOP.
I am not sure what other people think about passing associated arrays to functions, but they are hard to handle if you have no documentation available. I have had trouble with them when reading some external code, and most of time I wasn't sure what's the data I was dealing with.

How to make a PHP structure, that doesn't complain about requests of undefined properties?

I have a bunch of optional settings and I'm sick of checking for isset and property_exists.
In Laravel, if I ask for a property that does not exist on a model or request, I get null and no complaints (errors). How can I do the same for my data structure.
If I try array, I can't do simple $settings['setting13'], I have to either pre-fill it all with nulls or do isset($settings['setting13']) ? $settings['setting13'] : '' or $settings['setting13'] ?? null. If I try an object (new \stdClass()), $settings->setting13 still gives me a warning of Undefined property.
How can I make a class such that it responds null or an empty string whenever it is asked for a property that it doesn't have?
Simply do what Laravel does, create a class that deals with your data structure which returns a value if key exists, and something else if it doesn't.
I'll illustrate with an example class (this class supports the "dot notation" of accessing array keys):
class MyConfigClass
{
protected $data;
public function __construct(array $data)
{
$this->data = $data;
}
public function get($path = '', $default = null)
{
if(!is_string($path))
{
return $default;
}
// There's a dot in the path, traverse the array
if(false !== strpos('.', $path))
{
// Find the segments delimited by dot
$segments = explode('.', $path);
$result = $this->data;
foreach($segments as $segment)
{
if(isset($result[$segment]))
{
// We have the segment
$result = $result[$segment];
}
else
{
// The segment isn't there, return default value
return $default;
}
}
return $result;
}
// The above didn't yield a result, check if the key exists in the array and if not - return default
return isset($this->data[$path]) ? $this->data[$path] : $default;
}
}
Use:
$my_structure = [
'url' => 'www.stackoverflow.com',
'questions' => [
'title' => 'this is test title'
]
];
$config = new MyConfigClass($my_structure);
echo $config->get('url'); // echoes www.stackoverflow.com
echo $config->get('questions.title'); // echoes this is test title
echo $config->get('bad key that is not there'); // returns null
There is also a possibility to create wrapper as Jon Stirling mentioned in a comments. This approach will allow to keep code clean and also add functionality via inheritance.
<?php
class myArray implements ArrayAccess {
private $container;
function __construct($myArray){
$this->container = $myArray;
}
public function offsetSet($offset, $value) {
if (is_null($offset)) {
$this->container[] = $value;
} else {
$this->container[$offset] = $value;
}
}
public function offsetExists($offset) {
return isset($this->container[$offset]);
}
public function offsetUnset($offset) {
unset($this->container[$offset]);
}
public function offsetGet($offset) {
return isset($this->container[$offset]) ? $this->container[$offset] : null;
}
}
$settings = array("setting1"=>1,"setting2"=>2,"setting3"=>3);
$arr = new myArray($settings);
echo $arr['setting1'];
echo "<br>";
echo $arr['setting3'];
echo "<br>";
echo $arr['setting2'];
echo "<br>";
echo "------";
echo "<br>";
echo $arr['setting4'] ?:"Value is null";
!empty($settings['setting13']) ? $settings['setting13'] : ''
can be replaced with
$settings['setting13'] ?: ''
as long as whatever you want to print and whatever you want to check exists is the same expression. It's not the cleanest thing ever - which would be to check the existence of anything - but it's reasonably clear and can be chained :
echo ($a ?: $b ?: $c ? $default ?: '');
However, you are not the first who are "sick of checking for isset and property_exists, it's just that we still have to do it, or else we get unexpected results when we expect it the least.
It's not about saving time typing code, it's about saving time not debugging.
EDIT : As pointed in the comments, I wrote the first line with isset() instead of !empty(). Since ?: returns the left operand if it's equal to true, it's of course uncompatible with unchecked variables, you have at least to check for existence beforehand. It's emptiness that can be tested.
The operator that returns its left operand if it exists and is different from NULL is ??, which can be chained the same way ?: does.
Admittedly not the best way to do this, but you can use the error suppressor in php like this:
$value = #$settings['setting13'];
This will quitely set$value to NULL if $settings['setting13'] is not set and not report the undefined variable notice.
As for objects, you should just calling for attributes that are not defined in class.

PHP create object inside it's own constructor

EDIT: Link to my first question. Might clear some things up.
PHP Get corresponding data, with default and error handling
I have a function that checks if a GET statement exists. If so, it passes the value to a other function that then selects a class based on the value of the GET statement.
explaining:
The url = Page=Contact
The GetFormVariable approves it, and the class Contact is selected and it will give back a string. This string is used as an object 'Content' that, as it says, creats the content of the page.
public function getFormVariable($value){
switch (strtoupper($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'])) {
case 'GET':
if (isset($_GET[$value]) && $_GET[$value] != NULL) {
return $_GET[$value];
}
else{
return false;
}
break;
case 'POST':
if (isset($POST[$value]) && $POST[$value] != NULL) {
return $POST[$value];
}
else{
return false;
}
break;
default:
return false;
}
}
Now the question.
When there is no GET statement in the url. The GetFormVariable returns false. And this means there is nothing shown.
How do i give this constructor.
public function SetProperty ($prob, $val){
$this->$prob = $val;
}
The information to create the ContentHome.
SetProperty('Content', 'ContentHome');
Sorry for poor explanation, if anything is unclear please tell me so.
I'm suggesting we close this question as unclear what you're asking, but decided to throw some help on the provided code sample anyway...
You can strip this down dramatically, and since there's no context, the function can be static too.
static public function getFormVariable($value)
{
if($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'GET' &&
isset($_GET[$value]) &&
!empty($_GET[$value]))
return $_GET[$value];
elseif($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST' &&
isset($POST[$value]) &&
!empty($POST[$value]))
return $POST[$value];
return false;
}
Your original isset and != NULL checks were doing the same check. Maybe you want the empty() check as a third check, but look it up to be certain.
The question is unclear.
How you call getFormVariable? How you use SetProperty with the information getFormVariable provides?
As far as I understood, you mean this...
$var = getFormVariable(???);
if (false === $var)
{
SetProperty('Content', 'ContentHome');
} else {
SetProperty('var', $var);
}

How to exclude a variable from being required in a function?

How to exclude a variable from being required in a function?
IE:
function foo($name,$address,$pizza_preference,$date)
{
if(!$pizza_preference)
{
return array($name,$address,$date);
}
else
{
return array($name,$address,$pizza_preference,$date);
}
}
When calling this function how would I set it up so $pizza_preference is not required, but optional? So that if you only entered 3 arguments in the function it omits $pizza_preference, or would I have to make it so when you enter 0 it just doesn't return it?
Just define a default value for it. Then you can use that function without passing a value:
function foo($name,$address,$date,$pizza_preference=null)
{
if(!$pizza_preference)
{
return array($name,$address,$date);
}
else
{
return array($name,$address,$pizza_preference,$date);
}
}
Usually you put variables that have default values at the end of the parameters list so you don't have to include blank parameters when calling the function.
See Default argument values on the PHP website for more.
UPDATE
If you're going to have multiple parameters with default values and want to be able to skip them individually you can pass an array as the only parameter and read the values from there:
function foo(array $parameters)
{
if(!$parameters['pizza_preference'])
{
return array($parameters['name'],$parameters['address'],$parameters['date']);
}
else
{
return array($parameters['name'],$parameters['address'],$parameters['date'],$parameters['pizza_preference']);
}
}
I recommend (and I always do) to pass arguments as Object..
function foo($params)
{
if(!$params->pizza_preference)
{
return array($pizza_preference->name,$pizza_preference->address,$pizza_preference->date);
}
else
{
return array($pizza_preference->name,$pizza_preference->pizza_preference->address,$pizza_preference,$pizza_preference->date);
}
}
Sample usage:
$p1 = new stdClass;
$p1->name = 'same name';
$p1->address ='same address';
$p1->pizza_preference = '1';
$p1->date = '26-04-2012';
$p2 = new stdClass;
$p2->name = 'same name';
$p2->address ='same address';
$p2->date = '26-04-2012';
foo($p1); //will return the first array
foo($p2); //will return the second array
Well youll need to change the signature... anything not required should go last:
function foo($name, $address, $date, $pizza_preference = null) {
}
You can set default values in the function declaration:
function foo($name,$address,$date,$pizza_preference=null)
{
if($pizza_preference === null)
{
return array($name,$address,$date);
}
else
{
return array($name,$address,$pizza_preference,$date);
}
}
As an alternative approach, you can use an associative array as a single argument, and then just check it inside the function like this:
function foo($args) {
$name = (!empty($args['name']) ? $args['name'] : NULL);
$address = (!empty($args['address']) ? $args['address'] : NULL);
$pizza_preference = (!empty($args['pizza_preference']) ? $args['pizza_preference'] : NULL);
$date = (!empty($args['date']) ? $args['date'] : NULL);
}

Is there a better way to check POSTed variables in PHP?

I find in my PHP pages I end up with lines and lines of code that look like this:
$my_id = isset($_REQUEST['my_id']) ? $_REQUEST['my_id'] : '';
$another_var = isset($_REQUEST['another_var']) ? $_REQUEST['another_var'] : 42;
...
Is there a better, more concise, or more readable way to check this array and assign them to a local variable if they exist or apply a default if they don't?
EDIT: I don't want to use register_globals() - I'd still have the isset problem anyway.
How about wrapping it in a function?
<?php
function getPost($name, $default = null) {
return isset($_POST[$name]) ? $_POST[$name] : $default;
}
a better method might be to create a singleton/static class to abstract away the details of checking the request data.
Something like:
class Request {
private $defaults = array();
private static $_instance = false;
function getInstance () {
if (!self::$_instance) {
$c = __CLASS__;
self::$_instance = new $c;
}
return self::$_instance;
}
function setDefaults($defaults) {
$this->defaults = $defaults;
}
public function __get($field) {
if (isset($_REQUEST[$field]) && !empty($_REQUEST[$field])) {
return $_REQUEST['field'];
} elseif (isset($this->defaults[$field])) {
return $this->defaults[$field];
} else {
return ''; # define a default value here.
}
}
}
you can then do:
# get an instance of the request
$request = Request::getInstance();
# pass in defaults.
$request->setDefaults(array('name'=>'Please Specify'));
# access properties
echo $request->name;
echo $request->email;
I think this makes your individual scripts loads cleaner and abstracts away the validation etc. Plus loads of scope with this design to extend it/add alternate behaviours, add more complicated default handling etc etc.
First, use $_POST for POSTed variables. $_REQUEST is a mashup of many different incoming variables, not just $_POST and could cause problems.
One solution for your question would be to create a function that handles the isset() logic.
function ForceIncomingValue($Key, $Default) {
if (!isset($_POST[$Key]))
return $Default;
else return $_POST[$Key];
}
first of all, NEVER use the $_REQUEST variable, it'll lead to bugs and other problems during development
function getPOST($key) {
if(isset($_POST[$key])) {
return $_POST[$key];
}
}
note that this code leaves the variable empty when $_POST[$key] was not set
you could also adapt that code to enable you to instead provide you with a (sensible) default when the value could not be loaded.
function getPOST($key, $default = NULL) {
if(isset($_POST[$key])) {
return $_POST[$key];
} else {
return $default;
}
}
Is the set of variables you're expecting known at the time of the script's writing, or do you want to do this for an arbitrary set of values? If the former is true, you could do something like this:
# This array would hold the names of all the variables you're expecting
# and a default value for that variable name
$variableNames = array (...);
foreach ($variableNames as $key => $default) {
if (isset ($_REQUEST[$key])) $$key = $_REQUEST[$key];
else $$key = $default;
}
Basically, this takes advantage of PHP's ability to evaluate variables to create other variables (hence the double-dollar for $$key--this means create a new variable whose name is the value of $key).
I haven't yet come up with a good solution to the latter situation.
PHP's null coalescing operator!
$username = $_GET['user'] ?? 'nobody';
For a lot of variables, with a requirement check, anyone is free to use my expect function.

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