Can not call global function from php class - php

Question

I have a php project that uses some functional elements, and some OOP elements, but it seems mixing the two is causing problems. Here are the files that are causing the errors:
DB.php
<?php
function parse_db_entry($from, &$to){
//Function code here
}
?>
User.php
<?php
require_once 'DB.php';
class User{
//Properties
public function __construct(){
//ctor
}
public static function load_user($email, $password){
$entry = //Make MySQL Request
$user = new User();
parse_db_entry($entry, $user);
return $user;
}
}
?>
Everything works as it should, except the call to parse_db_entry which throws:
Fatal error: Call to undefined function parse_db_entry()
I am able to access other things in DB.php, for instance if I made a class it there I am able to instantiate it without error, and if I move the function into User.php, it is functional as well. So what am I doing wrong? Why can't I call this method?

Answer 1

I've figured it out! Thanks to everyone who had ideas, but it seems the problem was something else.
When calling require_once 'DB.php', php was actually getting the file:
C:\xampp\php\pear\DB.php
instead of mine.
This may be a problem exclusive to XAMPP, but a simple rename of my file to DBUtil.php fixed everything.

Answer 2

This is a stretch, and I'm totally taking a shot in the dark here, but...
Are you sure parse_db_entry is in the global or User's namespace?
Note: I added a few lines here and there for testing/debugging.
DB.php:
<?php
namespace anotherWorld; // added this ns for illustrative purposes
function parse_db_entry($from, &$to){
echo 'called it';
}
?>
User.php:
<?php
namespace helloWorld; // added this ns for illustrative purposes
class User {
//Properties
public function __construct(){
//ctor
}
public static function load_user($email, $password){
$entry = //Make MySQL Request
$user = new User();
parse_db_entry($entry, $user);
return $user;
}
}
?>
test.php:
<?php
require_once 'DB.php';
require_once 'User.php';
use helloWorld\User;
$a = new User();
$a->load_user('email','pass');
echo 'complete';
?>
Yields Fatal error: Call to undefined function helloWorld\parse_db_entry() in User.php on line 13, however when removing the NS declaration in DB.php (namespace anotherWorld) thereby putting parse_db_entry in global NS it runs just fine.
To verify, use the __NAMESPACE__ constant.
If namespace is a problem, without compromising DB's namespace, here is an updated User.php:
<?php
namespace helloWorld;
use anotherWorld; // bring in the other NS
class User {
//Properties
public function __construct(){
//ctor
}
public static function load_user($email, $password){
$entry = //Make MySQL Request
$user = new User();
anotherWorld\parse_db_entry($entry, $user); // call the method from that NS
return $user;
}
}
?>