Calling a Class function without using $this->function_name() -- PHP -- - php

Question

So I have this class:
class A{
public function do_a(){ return 'a_done';};
public function do_b(){ return 'b_done';};
}
So I require the php file and create an instance of the class:
require_once("A_class.php");
$System = new A();
require_once("user_calls.php"); //here I import the user file with the function calls.
user_calls.php contents:
echo 'this was the result of '.$System->do_a();
echo 'this was the result of '.$System->do_b();
So, that does work, but I don't want the user to have to use $System->do_a();, but only do_a();.
Any solutions?
EDIT: I also want to limit the functions the user could call in the user_calls.php file, to basic native php functions and those in class A.

Answer 1

DISCLAIMER: While this code works, and does what you requested, that doesn't mean that I advocate coding like this. It's very hard to follow for other developers (and maybe even you in the future...), and it also makes use of eval(), which is almost always A Bad Thing(tm). That said, here you go:
<?php
class A {
public function do_a() {
return __METHOD__;
}
public function do_b() {
return __METHOD__;
}
}
$aRef = new ReflectionClass('A');
$aPublicMethods = $aRef->getMethods(ReflectionMethod::IS_PUBLIC);
foreach ($aPublicMethods as $method) {
$php = <<<PHP
function {$method->name}() {
global \$System;
return \$System->{$method->name}();
}
PHP;
eval($php);
}
$System = new A();
echo 'this was the result of ' . do_a();
echo 'this was the result of ' . do_b();
Please also note that if your methods use arguments, things get even more hairy. Also, if you name any of your methods the same as a function in the global namespace (ex. substr()), this will attempt to redefine them, and you'll probably get a Fatal Error.

Answer 2

Methods of a class are either instance methods (they act on a particular instance of a class defined by $this) or they are class methods (They aren't tied to any one particular instance of a class, but provide services that fall within the remit of the class.
An instance method is defined as follows:
public function foo()
{
}
whereas a class method is defined with the STATIC keyword.
static public function bar()
{
}
In the instance method you can use $this to get access to the state of the instance on which the method was called. This is not available in the class method because it's not tied to any one instance. It can access other members of the class (provided they're not tied to an instance) with the self keyword though.
Instance methods are called as follows:
$a = new ObjType ()
$output = $a -> foo ();
Class methods are called as follows:
$output = ObjType::bar ();
No matter which approach you use you either have to provide an instance (for instance methods) or a class (for class methods) to call the method. Calling just foo() or bar() will not work.

Answer 3

You'll have to use a closure. Note that it's calling directly from the class definition, not the object:
class test {
function method() {
echo 'method was called';
}
}
$method = function(){call_user_func('test::method');};
$method();
$method();
$method();
//output:
//method was calledmethod was calledmethod was called
To call the method from the object, rather than the class, you'll have to pass the object into the closure:
class test {
var $count = 0;
function method() {
$this->count++;
echo $this->count . "|<br />";
}
}
$obj = new test;
$obj2 = new test;
$method = function($object){call_user_func(array($object, 'method'));};
$method($obj);
$method($obj);
$method($obj);
$method($obj2);
//output:
//1|
//2|
//3|
//1|
But that's not any prettier or simpler, is it?
If you don't want to clutter up your page, just name the object something short:
$pco = new page_controller_object_with_a_long_name_that_is_annoying;
$pco->do_a();
$pco->do_b();
//etc.

Answer 4

Moving it outside the class as suggested by #LucM sounds the easiest way.