PHP - force function evaluation? - php

I'm using PHP 5.3, coming from JS and Python land, can't use call() because < PHP 5.4
So let's say I have a function generator, e.g. to log things in JS land:
function console($meth){
return function() use($meth) {
print "<script>console.".$meth.".apply(console,".json_encode(func_get_args()).")</script>";
};
}
I want to dynamically evaluate this, like:
console($meth)($thing1,$thing2);
BUT
//console('log')('hello'); //syntax error!
sad tears! however, this works.
$func = console('log');
$func('hello');
WHY IS THIS THE CASE? WHYWHYWHY?
Also, how can I force console('log') to evaluate without using eval or assigning to a variable?

This will work starting at PHP 5.3:
function console($a) {
return function($b, $c) {
echo $b, $c;
};
}
$f = console("a");
$f("b", "c");
If you need to chain the call, this will work for all PHP 5 versions:
class Foo {
public function call($b, $c) {
echo $b, $c;
}
}
function console($a) {
return new Foo();
}
$f = console("a")->call("b", "c");
I would suggest to start learning PHP in a recent version. The PHP developers have added a lot of cool things in 5.4 and subsequent versions.

another way of solving that would be as follows:
class App_Console {
private static $methods = array(
'log',
'info',
'warn',
'dir',
'time',
'timeEnd',
'trace',
'error',
'assert'
);
function __call($name,$args){
if(in_array($name,self::$methods)){
printf("<script>console.$name.apply(console,%s)</script>\n",json_encode($args));
}
}
}

Related

How to write a function that could be called like func(a)(b)(c) in php?

I need to realize function "calc" that works like that:
$sum = function($a, $b) { return $a + $b; };
calc(5)(3)(2)($sum); // 10
calc(1)(2)($sum); // 3
calc(2)(3)('pow'); // 8
I can write something like this:
function calc(){;
print_r(func_get_args());
return __FUNCTION__;
}
calc(3)(5)(2)('sum');
and it print Array ( [0] => 3 ) Array ( [0] => 5 ) Array ( [0] => 2 ) Array ( [0] => sum ).
So, when I get 'sum' in my function, i should have an array with all previous arguments.
But i have no idea, how can i pass current argument in next function call to manipulate all of them on last iteration. Or is there some sort of recursive solution?
What you're talking about is called Currying. The following code will require PHP 7, since it involves invoking a function returned from another one, which wasn't possible until PHP's Abstract Syntax Tree was implemented in that version.
First things first, you'll need a new sum() function that can operate on an arbitrary number of variables:
$sum = function(...$args) { return array_sum($args); };
Secondly, the important part. A function that returns a new anonymous function, accumulating the arguments as it goes. When you finally pass it something callable (either your $sum function, or a built-in function name like pow), it'll execute it, unpacking the arguments that it's built up.
function calc($x)
{
return function($y = null) use ($x)
{
if (is_callable($y)) {
return $y(...$x);
} else {
$args = (array) $x;
$args[] = $y;
return calc($args);
}
};
}
echo calc(5)(3)(2)($sum); // 10
echo calc(1)(2)($sum); // 3
echo calc(2)(3)('pow'); // 8
See https://3v4l.org/r0emm
(Note that internal functions will be limited to operating on the number of arguments they are defined to take - calc(2)(3)(4)('pow') will raise an error.)
This isn't a particularly common pattern to use (which is probably why you've found it hard to track down), so please for everyone who reads it's sake, think carefully about where you use it.
Credit to the curryAdd answer in this question for the starting blocks.
Edit: I stand corrected, you don't require globals it seems! Definitely use the #iainn's answer over this one.
So to achieve this you're going to have to use globals if you're not doing it within a class to maintain current state. You can see a working example of the below code here (note that it only works for PHP version 7 and above)
<?php
$sum = function(...$args) {
return array_sum($args);
};
function calc(...$args) {
global $globalArguments;
if (is_callable($args[0])) {
$callback = $args[0];
$arguments = array_map(function ($arg) {
return $arg[0];
}, $globalArguments);
return $callback(...$arguments);
}
$globalArguments[] = $args;
return __FUNCTION__;
}
echo calc(3)(2)($sum); // 5
I don't know why you want to do this, but I don't suggest it in production, globals aren't something that should really be used if you can avoid it.
function calc(int $value, Callable $function = null)
{
return function ($v) use ($value, $function) {
$f = function ($call) use ($value, $function) {
return (is_callable($call) && is_callable($function)) ? $call($function($call), $value) : $value;
};
return is_callable($v) ? $f($v) : calc($v, $f);
};
}

Anonymous function with dynamic number of arguments/parameters

So, some time ago I build a parser for jQuery Query Builder plugin, which parses the formula into PHP code that returns some calculation based on added parameters, it could range from return $a + $b; to something like
if($a == 'some_value' || $c == 'other_value') {
return $something;
} else if($b == 'something' && $d == 'anything') {
return $something_else;
} else {
return $anything;
}
and it could be even more complex. The thing is that it creates this as a string, which I then passed to another function which returns a dynamic function created with create_function, but that constructor in PHP is deprecated as of version 7.2.0.
My problem now is that I need to be able to create anonymous function with dynamic number of parameters, and those parameters need to have dynamic variable names. Here is my previous code
protected function createFunction($formula, &$data)
{
$args = '';
foreach($data as $key => $value) {
$args .= '$' . $key . ', ';
}
return create_function(substr($args, 0, strlen($args) - 2), $formula);
}
As you can see, the $formula is that dynamic PHP code I wrote above, and $data is an associative array (usually a row from database). Any ideas?
Edit: Forgot to mention, the formula itself is not the problem, as I can just use eval() function for that (I'm not concerned with security here so it's ok), it's just that I'm not sure how to add dynamic number of parameters with dynamic variable names.
You may go with Anonymous functions with this.
I had used eval in this case due to your comment :
Edit: Forgot to mention, the formula itself is not the problem, as I
can just use eval() function for that (I'm not concerned with security
here so it's ok)
class Foo
{
public function createFunction($formula, $args)
{
$func = function ($args) use ($formula) {
foreach ($args as $key => $val) {
$$key = $val;
}
return eval($formula);
};
return $func($args);
}
}
$foo = new Foo;
$foo->createFunction('echo $a + $b;', ['a' => 1, 'b' => 2]);
a live sample for your code
https://3v4l.org/HrMKN

Is it possible to make a PHP function that would take any number of arguments?

I am writing some PHP code that would generate HTML files from templates.
I would like, if possible, to make a function that would take any strings I feed the function with, and put that into the file. Like so:
function generator($a, $b, $c, $n...){
$filename = $a . ".html";
ob_start ();
echo $b;
echo $c;
echo $d;
echo $n...;
$buffer = ob_get_clean();
file_put_contents($a, $buffer);
}
I need this, because different pages would have different number of include files, and with this I would be able to skip making different functions for specific pages. Just an iterator, and that's it.
Thanks!
From PHP 5.6+ you can use ... to indicate a variable number of arguments:
function test (... $args)
{
foreach ($args as $arg) {
echo $arg;
}
}
test("testing", "variable"); // testing variable
Demo
Variable-length argument lists from the manual
So, your function would look something like this:
function generator($a, $b, $c, ... $n) {
$filename = $a . ".html";
ob_start();
echo $b;
echo $c;
foreach ($n as $var) {
echo $var;
}
$buffer = ob_get_clean();
file_put_contents($a, $buffer);
}
You can also use variadic functions (PHP 5.6+) :
function generator($a, ...$args) {
echo $a . "\n";
print_r($args);
}
generator("test", 1, 2, 3, 4);
Outputs :
"test"
Array
(
[0] => 1
[1] => 2
[2] => 3
[3] => 4
)
You can make it using an array as following :
function generator($array){
// set the first item of the array as name of the .html file and take it out of the array.
$filename = array_shift($array) . ".html";
ob_start ();
// echo all the array fields
foreach($array as $a){
echo $a;
}
$buffer = ob_get_clean();
file_put_contents($a, $buffer);
}
You can pass the array directly to call the function like the following :
generator( ["val_1", "val_2", "val_3"] );
Just use func_get_args(); inside your function to return an array of all arguments passed in.
You can also use func_get_arg($arg_num) to return a specific argument, or func_num_args to return the number of arguments.
All PHP functions allow any number of parameters, they just won't be callable by name, the only way is with these 3 functions.
Note, you may use a variadic argument as the last in the parameter list like so:
function my_func($x,$y, ... $z){
//Now $z is an array of all arguments after the first two
}
In the process of good design, I would think carefully about when and where to use things such as this. For example I currently work on a project that probably has over 200K lines of code and for better of worse this is actually never used.
The most common way is to pass an array "struct" to the method:
$args = array();
$args['kitchen'] = 'sink';
$args['bath'] = 'room';
$args['cat'] = array('fur','tail');
$func->someFunction($args);
If you wanted to have more control over the data you could create a struct and access that within the class. Public functions act as handlers.
class SomeClass {
....
private $args
public function setArgs($arg1,$arg2,$arg3) {
$this->arg1 = $arg1;
...
}
public function getArgs() {
return $this->args;
}
More rarely you can have C++ like control where you use a class just as a struct:
class MyStruct {
public $foo;
public $bar;
private $secret;
private function getSecret() {
return $secret;
}
protect function setSecret($val) {
$secret = $val;
}
}
Already mentioned is '...' which I nearly never see but it's interesting, though how useful ? Does this help explain what is going on?
function someFunction(... $args)
Usually you will see a mix of things in methods which helps articulate the purpose of it.
private function someSmallFunc($list = array(), $val = '', $limit = 10)
This example is to illustrate the natural grouping of information, data is in a list, $val is used for something to control the method along with $limit say limits the number of query results. Hence, you should think in this way about your methods IMO.
Also if you notice default values are set ($limit = 10) to in case they aren't passed in. For example if you call someSmallFunc($data, $someVal) (opposed to say someSmallFunc($data, $someVal, 20) ) and not pass in $limit it will default to 10.

anonymous functions (lambdas, closures) in PHP 4

Is there a trick in PHP 4 to implement functions which return functions? I expected that the following code would work:
function xxx($a) {
return function($b) {
print "a=$a, b=$b \n";
}
}
$f1 = xxx(1);
$f1(2);
Unfortunately, no luck in PHP 4. Probably it works in PHP 5, but I limited to PHP 4.
I tried to workaround with OO, but again failed (class declarations may not be nested):
class Closure {
function run($a) {
print "raise: NotImplementedException, instead: $a\n";
}
}
class WantCheckNesting extends Closure {
function run($a, $b) {
class Nested extends Closure {
function run($c) {
print "a=$a, b=$b, c=$c\n";
}
}
$o = new Nested();
return $o;
}
}
$d = new WantCheckNesting();
$e = $d->run(2, 3);
$e->run(4);
There is a function "create_function", but it is very limited: the body must be a string.
Any other ideas?
You're probably barking at the wrong tree. PHP is not a functional programming language. Some changes have been made starting with PHP 5.3, but even there you don't have your expected variable scopes that would allow you to do what you have in your examples.
The only tools you can use in PHP 4 are create_function and some ingenuity to write the function definition as a string.
<?php
function getMyFunc($a){
return create_function('$b', 'print "a='.$a.', b=$b";');
}
$f1 = getMyFunc(1);
$f1(2);
?>
...but even if this is simple for your posted example, it definitely isn't practical for more complex situations.
In PHP4 you can use Variable Functions like this, provided your function is already defined in the scope (so not a real closure).
THIS IS DIRTY CODE.
THIS IS NOT MUCH TESTED.
THIS IS NOT FAST (even slower than closures if that is possible).
It is just for fun and proving it "somehow" can be done if you really really need it.
Requires a writable tmp/ directory.
<?php
function xxx($a) {
$sid = GetUniversalSessionId();
$tmpfname= 'tmp/'.$sid.'.php';
$handle = fopen($tmpfname, "w");
fwrite($handle, '<?php
function func_'.($sid).'($b) {
$a='."'".str_replace("\'","\\'",str_replace("\\","\\\\",$a))."'".';
print "a=$a, b=$b \n";
}
?>');
fclose($handle);
include($tmpfname);
unlink($tmpfname);
return 'func_'.($sid);
}
$result=xxx(32);
$result(20);
// This is just to get a unique identifier for every connection and every function call:
// UNIVERSALSESSIONIDS v1.3
if(defined('UNIVERSALSESSIONIDS')) return;
define('UNIVERSALSESSIONIDS', TRUE);
function GetTimeStart() {
return strtotime('2006-07-10');
}
function GetUniversalSessionId() {
return GetCodedSid(letterNumBase(),16);
}
function GetCodedSid($baseChars,$Pad=0) {
$Zero=$baseChars{0};
list ($usec, $sec) = explode (' ', microtime());
$new_sid = ($sec-GetTimeStart()) . str_pad ((int)($usec * 100000000), 8, '0', STR_PAD_LEFT) . str_pad (rand (0, 9999), 4, '0', STR_PAD_LEFT);
$new_sid=ConvertDecToAnyStr($new_sid,$baseChars);
$new_sid=str_pad ($new_sid, $Pad, $Zero, STR_PAD_LEFT);
return $new_sid;
}
function divide($decstr,$decnum) {
$Start='';
$Result='';
$WRITE=FALSE;
do {
$Start.=substr($decstr,0,1);
$decstr=substr($decstr,1);
$DecStart=intval($Start);
$Rest=$DecStart%$decnum;
$PartDiv=($DecStart-$Rest)/$decnum;
if($PartDiv>0) $WRITE=TRUE;
if($WRITE) $Result.=$PartDiv;
$Start=$Rest;
} while ($decstr!='');
if($Result=='') $Result='0';
return array($Result,$Rest);
}
function bigBase() {
global $gSavedBigBase;
if(isset($gSavedBigBase)) return $gSavedBigBase;
$BigBase='';
for($i=33;$i<=128;$i++) $BigBase.=chr($i);
$gSavedBigBase=$BigBase;
return $BigBase;
}
function letterNumBase() {
global $gSavedBigBase2;
if(isset($gSavedBigBase2)) return $gSavedBigBase2;
$BigBase='';
for($i=ord('0');$i<=ord('1');$i++) $BigBase.=chr($i);
for($i=ord('A');$i<=ord('Z');$i++) $BigBase.=chr($i);
$BigBase.='_';
// for($i=ord('a');$i<=ord('z');$i++) $BigBase.=chr($i);
$gSavedBigBase2=$BigBase;
return $BigBase;
}
function ConvertDecToAny($decstr,$decbase) {
$Result=array();
do {
$Div=divide($decstr,$decbase);
$decstr=$Div[0];
$Rest=$Div[1];
$Result[]=$Rest;
} while($decstr!='0');
return $Result;
}
function ConvertDecToAnyStr($decstr,$baseChars='01') {
$decbase=strlen($baseChars);
$Result='';
do {
$Div=divide($decstr,$decbase);
$decstr=$Div[0];
$Rest=$Div[1];
$Result=$baseChars{$Rest}.$Result;
} while($decstr!='0');
return $Result;
}
?>

PHP call_user_func vs. just calling function

I'm sure there's a very easy explanation for this. What is the difference between this:
function barber($type){
echo "You wanted a $type haircut, no problem\n";
}
call_user_func('barber', "mushroom");
call_user_func('barber', "shave");
... and this (and what are the benefits?):
function barber($type){
echo "You wanted a $type haircut, no problem\n";
}
barber('mushroom');
barber('shave');
Always use the actual function name when you know it.
call_user_func is for calling functions whose name you don't know ahead of time but it is much less efficient since the program has to lookup the function at runtime.
Although you can call variable function names this way:
function printIt($str) { print($str); }
$funcname = 'printIt';
$funcname('Hello world!');
there are cases where you don't know how many arguments you're passing. Consider the following:
function someFunc() {
$args = func_get_args();
// do something
}
call_user_func_array('someFunc',array('one','two','three'));
It's also handy for calling static and object methods, respectively:
call_user_func(array('someClass','someFunc'),$arg);
call_user_func(array($myObj,'someFunc'),$arg);
the call_user_func option is there so you can do things like:
$dynamicFunctionName = "barber";
call_user_func($dynamicFunctionName, 'mushroom');
where the dynamicFunctionName string could be more exciting and generated at run-time. You shouldn't use call_user_func unless you have to, because it is slower.
With PHP 7 you can use the nicer variable-function syntax everywhere. It works with static/instance functions, and it can take an array of parameters. More info at https://trowski.com/2015/06/20/php-callable-paradox
$ret = $callable(...$params);
I imagine it is useful for calling a function that you don't know the name of in advance...
Something like:
switch($value):
{
case 7:
$func = 'run';
break;
default:
$func = 'stop';
break;
}
call_user_func($func, 'stuff');
There are no benefits to call it like that, the word user mean it is for multiple user, it is useful to create modification without editing in core engine.
it used by wordpress to call user function in plugins
<?php
/* main.php */
require("core.php");
require("my_plugin.php");
the_content(); // "Hello I live in Tasikmalaya"
...
<?php
/* core.php */
$listFunc = array();
$content = "Hello I live in ###";
function add_filter($fName, $funct)
{
global $listFunc;
$listFunc[$fName] = $funct;
}
function apply_filter($funct, $content)
{
global $listFunc;
foreach ($listFunc as $key => $value)
{
if ($key == $funct and is_callable($listFunc[$key]))
{
$content = call_user_func($listFunc[$key], $content);
}
}
echo $content;
}
function the_content()
{
global $content;
$content = apply_filter('the_content', $content);
echo $content;
}
....
<?php
/* my_plugin.php */
function changeMyLocation($content){
return str_replace('###', 'Tasikmalaya', $content);
}
add_filter('the_content', 'changeMyLocation');
in your first example you're using function name which is a string. it might come from outside or be determined on the fly. that is, you don't know what function will need to be run at the moment of the code creation.
When using namespaces, call_user_func() is the only way to run a function you don't know the name of beforehand, for example:
$function = '\Utilities\SearchTools::getCurrency';
call_user_func($function,'USA');
If all your functions were in the same namespace, then it wouldn't be such an issue, as you could use something like this:
$function = 'getCurrency';
$function('USA');
Edit:
Following #Jannis saying that I'm wrong I did a little more testing, and wasn't having much luck:
<?php
namespace Foo {
class Bar {
public static function getBar() {
return 'Bar';
}
}
echo "<h1>Bar: ".\Foo\Bar::getBar()."</h1>";
// outputs 'Bar: Bar'
$function = '\Foo\Bar::getBar';
echo "<h1>Bar: ".$function()."</h1>";
// outputs 'Fatal error: Call to undefined function \Foo\Bar::getBar()'
$function = '\Foo\Bar\getBar';
echo "<h1>Bar: ".$function()."</h1>";
// outputs 'Fatal error: Call to undefined function \foo\Bar\getBar()'
}
You can see the output results here: https://3v4l.org/iBERh it seems the second method works for PHP 7 onwards, but not PHP 5.6.

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