PHP syntax to call methods on temporary objects - php

Is there a way to call a method on a temporary declared object without being forced to assign 1st the object to a variable?
See below:
class Test
{
private $i = 7;
public function get() {return $this->i;}
}
$temp = new Test();
echo $temp->get(); //ok
echo new Test()->get(); //invalid syntax
echo {new Test()}->get(); //invalid syntax
echo ${new Test()}->get(); //invalid syntax

I use the following workaround when I want to have this behaviour.
I declare this function (in the global scope) :
function take($that) { return $that; }
Then I use it this way :
echo take(new Test())->get();

What you can do is
class Test
{
private $i = 7;
public function get() {return $this->i;}
public static function getNew() { return new self(); }
}
echo Test::getNew()->get();

Why not just do this:
class Test
{
private static $i = 7;
public static function get() {return self::$i;}
}
$value = Test::get();

Unfortunately, you can't do that. It's just the way PHP is, I'm afraid.

No. This is a limitation in PHP's parser.

i often use this handy little function
function make($klass) {
$_ = func_get_args();
if(count($_) < 2)
return new $klass;
$c = new ReflectionClass($klass);
return $c->newInstanceArgs(array_slice($_, 1));
}
usage
make('SomeCLass')->method();
or
make('SomeClass', arg1, arg2)->foobar();

Impossible and why would you create an object this way at all?
The point of an object is to encapsulate unique state. In the example you gave, $i will always be 7, so there is no point in creating the object, then getting $i from it and then losing the object to the Garbage collector because there is no reference to the object after $i was returned. A static class, like shown elsewhere, makes much more sense for this purpose. Or a closure.
Related topic:
http://www.mail-archive.com/internals#lists.php.net/msg44919.html
http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=23022&edit=1
http://www.mail-archive.com/internals#lists.php.net/msg07610.html

This is an old question: I'm just providing an updated answer.
In all supported versions of PHP (since 5.4.0, in 2012) you can do this:
(new Test())->get();
See https://secure.php.net/manual/en/migration54.new-features.php ("Class member access on instantiation").

This has come up very recently on php-internals, and unfortunately some influential people (e. g. sniper) active in development of PHP oppose the feature. Drop an email to php-internals#lists.php.net, let them know you're a grownup programmer.

Related

Storing a Closure Function in a Class Property in PHP

ok I do have the code below
<?php
class foo{
public $bar = NULL;
public function boo(){
$this->bar();
}
}
$mee = new foo();
//save a closure function on the property
$mee->bar = function(){
echo 'hahaha';
};
//invoke the closure function by using a class method
$mee->boo();
?>
and you can see it running here http://codepad.org/s1jhi7cv
now what i want here is to store the closure function on the class method.
well closures are possible as i read the documentation about it here http://php.net/manual/en/functions.anonymous.php
is this possible? did i went to something wrong? please correct me
Your example code at codepad.org does not work because codepad.org uses PHP 5.2.5, and closure support was only added in 5.3.
However, your code will also not work in a PHP version that supports closures, although you will get a different error: http://codepad.viper-7.com/Ob0bH5
This is a limitation of PHP at present. $obj->member() looks for a method named member and will not look at properties to see if they are callable. It is, frankly, annoying.
The only way I am aware of to make this work without call_user_func()/call_user_func_array() is:
public function boo() {
$func = $this->bar;
$func();
}
You need to exploit some magic functionality of PHP (__call) to make use of that. Extend from Extendable for example:
class Extendable {
static function import($context) {
$self = new static();
while (is_callable($context)) $context = $context($self);
if (is_array($context) || is_object($context) || is_a($context, 'Traversable')) {
foreach($context as $key => $value)
$self->$key = &$value; # preserve keys if
}
return $self;
}
public function __call($name, $args) {
if (isset($this->$name) && is_callable($this->$name)) {
return call_user_func_array($this->$name, $args);
}
throw new BadFunctionCallException(sprintf('Undefined function %s.', $name));
}
}
And you can do the job. It's not that nice. Background and examples are in one of my blog posts:
PHP: Extending stdClass with Closures (plus Visitor)
You can naturally implement that magic functionality your own, too.
Use call_user_func() function:
<?php
class foo{
public $bar = NULL;
public function boo(){
call_user_func($this->bar);
}
}
$mee = new foo();
//save a closure function on the property
$mee->bar = function(){
echo 'hahaha';
};
//invoke the closure function by using a class method
$mee->boo();
This will display "ahahah"
Hope it helps.
You will not be able to do that.
Take for example this code:
class T {
function foo() {
echo 'T::foo';
}
}
$t = new T;
$t->foo = function() {
echo 'Closure::foo';
};
$t->foo();
It works fine on PHP 5.4.6 and/or PHP 5.3.16, however it will result in T::foo getting printed.
This happens because methods, in PHP, are not modifiable class properties, as they are for example in javascript.
However,
$foo = $t->foo;
$foo();
will print Closure::foo as expected.
PHP is not a prototype based language hence you cannot redefine functions
Use __call to catch all non-defined methods and then look up the closure and invoke it. Take a look at my post on this SitePoint thread.
Starting at php 7, you can put round brackets around the instance and method to call the method like so: ($this->bar)();.
This appears to cause a syntax error on earlier versions however.

PHP object method doesn't behave as I expect

I can't quite understand why the output of this code is '1'.
My guess is that php is not behaving like most other OO languages that I'm used to, in that the arrays that php uses must not be objects. Changing the array that is returned by the class does not change the array within the class. How would I get the class to return an array which I can edit (and has the same address as the one within the class)?
<?php
class Test
{
public $arr;
public function __construct()
{
$this->arr = array();
}
public function addToArr($i)
{
$this->arr[] = $i;
}
public function getArr()
{
return $this->arr;
}
}
$t = new Test();
$data = 5;
$t->addToArr($data);
$tobj_arr = $t->getArr();
unset($tobj_arr[0]);
$tobj_arr_fresh = $t->getArr();
echo count($tobj_arr_fresh);
?>
EDIT: I expected the output to be 0
You have to return the array by reference. That way, php returns a reference to the array, in stead of a copy.
<?php
class Test
{
public $arr;
public function __construct()
{
$this->arr = array();
}
public function addToArr($i)
{
$this->arr[] = $i;
}
public function & getArr() //Returning by reference here
{
return $this->arr;
}
}
$t = new Test();
$data = 5;
$t->addToArr($data);
$tobj_arr = &$t->getArr(); //Reference binding here
unset($tobj_arr[0]);
$tobj_arr_fresh = $t->getArr();
echo count($tobj_arr_fresh);
?>
This returns 0.
From the returning references subpage:
Unlike parameter passing, here you have to use & in both places - to
indicate that you want to return by reference, not a copy, and to
indicate that reference binding, rather than usual assignment, should
be done
Note that although this gets the job done, question is if it is a good practice. By changing class members outside of the class itself, it can become very difficult to track the application.
Because array are passed by "copy on write" by default, getArr() should return by reference:
public function &getArr()
{
return $this->arr;
}
[snip]
$tobj_arr = &$t->getArr();
For arrays that are object, use ArrayObject. Extending ArrayObject is probably better in your case.
When you unset($tobj_arr[0]); you are passing the return value of the function call, and not the actual property of the object.
When you call the function again, you get a fresh copy of the object's property which has yet to be modified since you added 5 to it.
Since the property itself is public, try changing:
unset($tobj_arr[0]);
To: unset($t->arr[0]);
And see if that gives you the result you are looking for.
You are getting "1" because you are asking PHP how many elements are in the array by using count. Remove count and use print_r($tobj_arr_fresh)

how do I condense this statement?

I have the following function:
<?php
class Test{
function myFunction(){
return array('first','second','third');
}
}
?>
And I can print out the elements of the array:
$var=new Test();
$varr=$var->myFunction();
print($varr[1]);
Is there a way to condense this statement so I don't have to assign $var->myFunction() to a second variable (in this case $varr)?
PHP does not support this very well (as of PHP 5.3) as Tim Cooper already highlighted. So you need to think twice if you really need to have this compacted.
You can do things quite dynamically e.g. by return an ArrayObject instead of an array:
class Test
{
function myFunction()
{
return new ArrayObject(array('first','second','third'), 3);
}
}
$var = new Test();
print($var->myFunction()->{1});
Which will decorate the array data with some additional methods and ways of accessing. Another way would be for functions w/o parameter to fool the PHP parser and offer a property instead of a function dynamically:
class Test
{
function myFunction()
{
return array('first','second','third');
}
public function __get($name)
{
return $this->$name();
}
}
$var = new Test();
print($var->myFunction[1]);
But I don't know if this is really useful in an application.
So check your motivation why you want to compact the code and then decide on your own.
In PHP 5.4 you'll be able to do:
$varr=$var->myFunction()[1];
Until then, using list might help out:
list(,$varr) = $var->myFunction();
Another solution is to modify your method to accept an optional index of the item to return:
function myFunction($index = null){
$arr = array('first','second','third');
return $index == null ? $arr : $arr[$index];
}
$varr = $var->myFunction(1);

Instancing an object and calling a method in one line?

php 5.3
Is there a way to do this (viable in java for example)
(new MyClass())->myMethod();
i am receving: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR in D.. on line 7
Add
I really need that RFC to be implemented in the next PHP version!
http://wiki.php.net/rfc/instance-method-call
Is there a way we can subscribe to it so it can get more attention?
No, its not possible. There is a RFC for that
http://wiki.php.net/rfc/instance-method-call
But no one knows, when this will come to the userland.
Jacob mentioned the static method. There are other more or less useful methods to achieve the same
function instanciate($className, $arg1 = null) {
$args = func_get_args();
array_shift($args);
$c = new ReflectionClass($className);
return $c->newInstanceArgs($c);
}
instanciate('Classname', 1, 2, 3)->doSomething();
However, I prefer the temporary variable (like in the question).
Update:
I can swear there where an example for the temporary variable stuff in the question in the past. However, I meant this
$x = new Class;
$x->method();
where $x is the temporary variable.
That is not valid syntax. A handy way to achieve what you want is to use a static method to create the object.
In your MyClass:
public static function create() {
return new MyClass();
}
Then you can use:
MyClass::create()->myMethod();
However it is extra code that you have to maintain, if for example the constructor is changed or the class is extended. So you need to weigh up the benefits.
You can do something like this:
function chain_statements($statement1, $statement2) { return $statement2; }
class TClass { public Method() { ...; return $this; } }
$b = chain_statements($a = new TClass(), $a->Method());
... or more generalized:
function chain_statements(array $statements) { return end($statements); }
For example:
function chain_statements($statement1, $statement2) { return $statement2; }
function chain_statements2(array $statements) { return end($statements); }
class TClass
{
public $a = 0;
public function Method1() { $this->a = $this->a + 1; return $this; }
public function Method2() { $this->a = $this->a + 2; return $this; }
}
$b = chain_statements($c = new TClass(), $c->Method1()); echo($b->a);
$b = chain_statements2(array($c = new TClass(), $c->Method1(), $c->Method2())); echo($b->a);
... or even better:
function call_method($object) { return $object; }
$b = call_method(new TClass())->Method2(); echo($b->a);
Not as such. In PHP new is not an expression, but a language construct. The common workaround is to provide a static instantiation method for MyClass::get()->... use.
A more concise alternative is a hybrid factory function:
function MyClass() { return new MyClass; }
class MyClass {
...
}
Which then simplifies the instantiation to MyClass()->doSomething();
You can put it in one statement if you really wanted to. Use eval() ;p
But you probably shouldn't.
I had this same problem a while ago but I found this simple solution which is pretty readable too. I like the fact it uses only the standard PHP functions. There's no need to create any utility functions of your own.
call_user_func(
array(new ClassToInstance(), 'MethodName'),
'Method arguments', 'go here'
);
You can also use call_user_func_array to pass the arguments as an array.
call_user_func_array(
array(new ClassToInstance(), 'MethodName'),
array('Method arguments', 'go here')
);

php Set a anonymous function in an instance

I am just starting out with PHP, and I am wondering if there is a way to add an anonymous function to a class instance.
For instance, lets say...
class A{
public B;
}
$c = new A();
//This is where I am getting a little confused...
//The following wont work
$c->B = function(){echo('HelloWorld');};
$c->B();
What I am hoping to do is reuse the same spit of code in a great number of different applications, and make it so that I can just 'swap-out' and replace functions in specific instances.
I am using php5.3 (so anonymous functions should work, just not in the way that I am using them).
Thanks so very much for your time!!
-GK
You can use the __call magic function for this job. Not a beauty, but it works..
like this:
class A {
public $B;
public function __call($closure, $args)
{
call_user_func_array($this->$closure, $args);
}
}
$c = new A();
$c->B = function () { echo('HelloWorld'); };
$c->B();
FWIW:
PHP 5.3's treatment of anonymous functions is entertaining. This won't work:
$c->B = function() { echo func_get_arg(0); };
$c->B("This fails :(");
This WILL work:
$c->B = function() { echo func_get_arg(0); };
$hilarious = $c->B;
$hilarious("This works!");
To work around this, you need to use a __call hack like the one provided by Oden.
This behavior may change in the future. The array dereferencing RFC was recently committed to PHP's trunk, and the patch has set off a discussion on function call chaining, the syntax of which may allow what you're trying to do without the __call hack. Unfortunately it's proven difficult in the past to get function call chaining working.
# real ugly, but PoC...
class a {
function __call($f, $x) {
call_user_func_array($this->$f, $x);
}
}
$a = new a;
$a->b = function() { echo "Hello world"; };
$a->b();
Sounds like you are describing a Strategy Pattern or Decorator Pattern - there are other ways to achieve this in way which is more easily communicated with other developers who read your code.
You can do something along these lines (which will also work with callbacks that are not closures):
<?php
class A {
private $fun;
function setFun($fun) {
if (!is_callable($fun))
throw new InvalidArgumentException();
$this->fun = $fun;
}
public function fun() {
call_user_func_array($this->fun, func_get_args());
}
}
$c = new A();
$c->setFun(function($a) { echo('HelloWorld ' . $a);});
$c->fun("here");
which gives HelloWorld here.
That said, you should also consider inheritance or the decorator pattern.
This is not an issue anymore by PHP 7;
// no error
$result = ($this->anonFunc)();
$result = ($this->anonFunc)($arg1, $arg2, ...);
See more about AST.
Rather than hooking a __call magic method into your class, you can instead execute the callable directly using call_user_func.
class A {
public $b;
}
$c = new A();
$c->b = function(){echo('HelloWorld');};
call_user_func($c->b); // HelloWorld
Obviously it would be nice for PHP to provide some syntax to execute this directly.

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