Multiple functions for one action? - php

Question

I currently have this code in PHP:
public function newFile($folder, $file){
fopen($folder."/".$file, 'w');
}
That I use like this:
newFile('myfolder', 'myfile.txt');
It works fine, but I want to know if it's possible to create a function that I can use like this:
newFile('myfile.txt') inFolder('myfolder');
How can I do this, if it's possible?
I could also use this:
newFile('myfile.txt')->inFolder('myfolder');

Answer 1

I can see that you are trying to achieve a syntax like Objective-C and similar languages, but unfortunately, you can't. Just get used to the PHP syntax.
You could use an array to get named parameters, though:
function newFile($params){
fopen($params['folder']."/".$params['file'], 'w');
}
newFile(array(
'folder' => 'myfolder',
'file' => 'myfile.txt'
));
Alternatively you could use proxies to get to a syntax like: newFile(...)->inFolder(...), but that would definitely be an overkill here.

Answer 2

Here is an example of what you could possibly implement. Such technique is often used, when you need to call a lof of functions of the same object (better readability).
The point is that your functions may return the reference to the same object:
class Creator {
private $file ;
private $folder = "" ;
public function newFile($file){
$this->file = $file ;
return $this ;
}
public function inFolder($folder){
$this->folder = $folder ;
return $this ;
}
public function create(){
return fopen($this->folder."/".$this->file, 'w');
}
}
$creator = new Creator();
$creator
->newFile("test.txt")
->inFolder("test")
->create();

Answer 3

As for the solution of newFile('file')->inFolder('folder') it is possible, but it'd be definite overkill in this situation. Here's an example how to do it, though:
<?php
class File_To_Be_Created {
private $file;
public function __construct($file) {
$this->file = $file;
}
public function inFolder($folder) {
$handle = fopen($folder . '/' . $this->file, 'w');
if ($handle !== false) {
fclose($handle);
}
}
}
function newFile($file) {
return new File_To_Be_Created($file);
}
newFile('myfile.txt')->inFolder('myfolder');
?>