Creating an instance from an instance of a class in PHP? - php

This question comes form the following link
http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.basic.php
Specifically, Example #5 Creating new objects
$obj1 = new Test();
$obj2 = new $obj1;
var_dump($obj1 !== $obj2); //bool(true)
I can't figure out why it is okay or logical to use the new operator on $obj1 to create $obj2 when $obj1 is clearly just an object, not a class?
I have been trying to find reference on this topic, but could not find one.
Thanks

I have no idea why they added a possibility to create a new object with an instance of the class but the instance is used as a class in this case. You even can pass constructor arguments. Try this code:
class Waat {
public $message;
public function __construct($message )
{
$this->message = $message;
}
}
$w1 = new Waat('hello');
$w2 = new $w1('world');
echo $w1->message . ' ' . $w2->message;
It outputs:
hello world

Related

The dynamic call of a static function fails - "Class "SomeClassName" not found" [duplicate]

I have two classes, class ClassOne { } and class ClassTwo {}. I am getting a string which can be either "One" or "Two".
Instead of using a long switch statement such as:
switch ($str) {
case "One":
return new ClassOne();
case "Two":
return new ClassTwo();
}
Is there a way I can create an instance using a string, i.e. new Class("Class" . $str);?
Yes, you can!
$str = 'One';
$class = 'Class'.$str;
$object = new $class();
When using namespaces, supply the fully qualified name:
$class = '\Foo\Bar\MyClass';
$instance = new $class();
Other cool stuff you can do in php are:
Variable variables:
$personCount = 123;
$varname = 'personCount';
echo $$varname; // echo's 123
And variable functions & methods.
$func = 'my_function';
$func('param1'); // calls my_function('param1');
$method = 'doStuff';
$object = new MyClass();
$object->$method(); // calls the MyClass->doStuff() method.
You can simply use the following syntax to create a new class (this is handy if you're creating a factory):
$className = $whatever;
$object = new $className;
As an (exceptionally crude) example factory method:
public function &factory($className) {
require_once($className . '.php');
if(class_exists($className)) return new $className;
die('Cannot create new "' . $className . '" class - includes not found or class unavailable.');
}
have a look at example 3 from http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.basic.php
$className = 'Foo';
$instance = new $className(); // Foo()
Lets say ClassOne is defined as:
public class ClassOne
{
protected $arg1;
protected $arg2;
//Contructor
public function __construct($arg1, $arg2)
{
$this->arg1 = $arg1;
$this->arg2 = $arg2;
}
public function echoArgOne
{
echo $this->arg1;
}
}
Using PHP Reflection;
$str = "One";
$className = "Class".$str;
$class = new \ReflectionClass($className);
Create a new Instance:
$instance = $class->newInstanceArgs(["Banana", "Apple")]);
Call a method:
$instance->echoArgOne();
//prints "Banana"
Use a variable as a method:
$method = "echoArgOne";
$instance->$method();
//prints "Banana"
Using Reflection instead of just using the raw string to create an object gives you better control over your object and easier testability (PHPUnit relies heavily on Reflection)
// Way #1
$className = "App\MyClass";
$instance = new $className();
// Way #2
$className = "App\MyClass";
$class = new \ReflectionClass($className);
// Create a new Instance without arguments:
$instance = $class->newInstance();
// Create a new Instance with arguments (need a contructor):
$instance = $class->newInstanceArgs(["Banana", "Apple"]);

how to instantiate an object with class name in a variable? [duplicate]

I have two classes, class ClassOne { } and class ClassTwo {}. I am getting a string which can be either "One" or "Two".
Instead of using a long switch statement such as:
switch ($str) {
case "One":
return new ClassOne();
case "Two":
return new ClassTwo();
}
Is there a way I can create an instance using a string, i.e. new Class("Class" . $str);?
Yes, you can!
$str = 'One';
$class = 'Class'.$str;
$object = new $class();
When using namespaces, supply the fully qualified name:
$class = '\Foo\Bar\MyClass';
$instance = new $class();
Other cool stuff you can do in php are:
Variable variables:
$personCount = 123;
$varname = 'personCount';
echo $$varname; // echo's 123
And variable functions & methods.
$func = 'my_function';
$func('param1'); // calls my_function('param1');
$method = 'doStuff';
$object = new MyClass();
$object->$method(); // calls the MyClass->doStuff() method.
You can simply use the following syntax to create a new class (this is handy if you're creating a factory):
$className = $whatever;
$object = new $className;
As an (exceptionally crude) example factory method:
public function &factory($className) {
require_once($className . '.php');
if(class_exists($className)) return new $className;
die('Cannot create new "' . $className . '" class - includes not found or class unavailable.');
}
have a look at example 3 from http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.basic.php
$className = 'Foo';
$instance = new $className(); // Foo()
Lets say ClassOne is defined as:
public class ClassOne
{
protected $arg1;
protected $arg2;
//Contructor
public function __construct($arg1, $arg2)
{
$this->arg1 = $arg1;
$this->arg2 = $arg2;
}
public function echoArgOne
{
echo $this->arg1;
}
}
Using PHP Reflection;
$str = "One";
$className = "Class".$str;
$class = new \ReflectionClass($className);
Create a new Instance:
$instance = $class->newInstanceArgs(["Banana", "Apple")]);
Call a method:
$instance->echoArgOne();
//prints "Banana"
Use a variable as a method:
$method = "echoArgOne";
$instance->$method();
//prints "Banana"
Using Reflection instead of just using the raw string to create an object gives you better control over your object and easier testability (PHPUnit relies heavily on Reflection)
// Way #1
$className = "App\MyClass";
$instance = new $className();
// Way #2
$className = "App\MyClass";
$class = new \ReflectionClass($className);
// Create a new Instance without arguments:
$instance = $class->newInstance();
// Create a new Instance with arguments (need a contructor):
$instance = $class->newInstanceArgs(["Banana", "Apple"]);

How does an already-made object be re-created (see example)

I was looking at OOP Basics and saw a code like this (simplified it a bit)
You can see this class and the output
class Test{}
$a = new Test();
$b = new $a;
var_dump($b == $a); // true
What I don't understand is the $b = new $a but $a is already an object, so how/why does this work? If I do vardump $a the output is:
object(Test)#1 (0) {
}
So, how can that variable work with new keyword. I thought we could only use new with a class that is defined already, or with a string that points to a class ex:
$var = 'Test';
new $var; // ok
but in this case, $var is a string, not an another object.
It is a shortcut for creating new object. Before PHP 5.3.0 you have to do this:
$class = get_class($instance);
$newInstance = new $class;
As of PHP 5.3.0 you can do the same thing with this:
$newInstance = new $instance;
Very useful, in my opinion, because it eliminates the need for a temporary variable.
To clarify, this creates new object.
It is not cloning.
In other words, __construct() will be called instead of __clone().

String containing function-line. How to echo in other file?

$str = "$obj = new class(); $obj->getSomeFunction();"
Is this possible? I am trying to develop a very dynamic platform to base my website off of.
Anyway to get this working? From a string by "echo $str;" it will make the object and run the function?
Instead of passing an object as a string, just create a new instance of your object. And once you've included a file.. All variables, objects, etc. exist in the file that includes that file.
Edit:
Instead of passing a class as a string, you can create classes dynamically:
<?php
class cc {
function __construct() {
echo 'hi!';
}
}
$type = 'cc';
$obj = new $type; // outputs "hi!"
?>
Alternatively you can use static classes:
<?php
class Foo {
public static function aStaticMethod() {
echo 'hi!';
}
}
Foo::aStaticMethod(); // outputs "hi!"
// or:
$classname = 'Foo';
$classname::aStaticMethod(); // outputs "hi!"
?>
I am in the process of writing my own mvc framework(as an learning project), and needed to dynamically create objects and call a method. I ended up using the reflection api in order to create a new instance of the object and then call the method. in this case i ended up passing an associative array that had two key/value pairs, the class name, and the method I wanted to call. I hope this helps.
$class = $command['class'];
$method = $command['method'];
try{
$reflectorClass = new ReflectionClass($class);
$reflectedInstance = $reflectorClass->newInstance($matches);
} catch (Exception $e) {
exceptionHandler::catchException($e);
}
try {
$reflectorMethod = new ReflectionMethod($reflectedInstance, $method);
$reflectorMethod->invoke($reflectedInstance);
} catch (Exception $e) {
exceptionHandler::catchException($e);
}
In PHP included files are executed when you call include() or require(). They follow variable scope rules and even allow you to return results as if the include was a function like so:
dynamicPlatform.php
<?php
$object = include('createObjAndDoStuff.php');
?>
createObjAndDoStuff.php
<?php
$obj = new class();
$obj->getSomeFunction();
return $obj;
?>
As #zerkms has pointed out, you probably should be using factories.
class Factory {
public static function someclass() {
include_once('./classes/someclass.php'); //Although some discourage the use of *_once() functions
$obj = new someclass();
$obj->getSomeFunction();
return $obj;
}
}
//And to get a new class instance
$object = Singleton::someclass();
Or pseudo-singletons with factories:
class SingletonFactory {
private static $someclass;
public static function someclass() {
if(!self::$someclass) {
include('./classes/someclass.php');
self::$someclass = new someclass();
self::$someclass->getSomeFunction();
}
return self::$someclass;
}
}
What you are searching for is eval but while it will do exactly what you are asking for, it's considered bad solution and can lead to messy code.
You can just include file that contains PHP code, or you can serialize meta data about the actions to be performed and then parse that data.
Depending on what you are trying to achieve, you may be interested in serializing objects in session as well as in Command Pattern (a way to encapsulate set of operations in object(s))

PHP stdClass() with __get() Magic Method

Take the following code as an example:
class xpto
{
public function __get($key)
{
return $key;
}
}
function xpto()
{
static $instance = null;
if (is_null($instance) === true)
{
$instance = new xpto();
}
return $instance;
}
echo xpto()->haha; // returns "haha"
Now, I'm trying to archive the same result but without have to write the xpto class. My guess is I should have to write something like this:
function xpto()
{
static $instance = null;
if (is_null($instance) === true)
{
$instance = new stdClass();
}
return $instance;
}
echo xpto()->haha; // doesn't work - obviously
Now, is it possible to add __get() magic functionality to the stdClass object? I guess not, but I'm not sure.
No, it is not possible. You cannot add anything to stdClass. Also, unlike Java, where every object is a direct or indirect subclass of Object, this is not the case in PHP.
class A {};
$a = new A();
var_dump($a instanceof stdClass); // will return false
What are you really trying to achieve? Your question sounds a bit like "I want to close the door of my car, but without having a car" :-).
The OP looks like they are trying to achieve a singleton pattern using a function in the global scope which is probably not the correct way to go, but anyway, regarding Cassy's answer, "You cannot add anything to stdClass" - this is not true.
You can add properties to the stdClass simply by assigning a value to them:
$obj = new stdClass();
$obj->myProp = 'Hello Property'; // Adds the public property 'myProp'
echo $obj->myProp;
However, I think you need PHP 5.3+ in order to add methods (anonymous functions / closures), in which case you might be able to do something like the following. However, I've not tried this. But if this does work, can you do the same with the magic __get() method?
UPDATE: As noted in the comments, you cannot dynamically add methods in this way. Assigning an anonymous function (PHP 5.3+) does just that and simply assigns a function (strictly a closure object) to a public property.
$obj = new stdClass();
$obj->myMethod = function($name) {echo 'Hello '.$name;};
// Fatal error: Call to undefined method stdClass::myMethod()
//$obj->myMethod('World');
$m = $obj->myMethod;
$m('World'); // Output: Hello World
call_user_func($obj->myMethod,'Foo'); // Output: Hello Foo

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