Bug #62814 [Com]: It is possible to stiffen child class members visibility

Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=62814&edit=1 ID: 62814 Comment by: kev dot simpson at gmail dot com Reported by: resha dot ru at gmail dot com Summary: It is possible to stiffen child class members visibility Status: Not a bug Type: Bug Package: Class/Object related Operating System: Linux PHP Version: 5.3.15 Block user comment: N Private report: N New Comment: You guys have me a bit confused now. You seem to be in agreement that an inherited method cannot decay the scope of the parent's method (since PHP doesn't bubble up), yet you are indicating that this isn't a bug. I'm still curious on how to get around the interfacing issue. For an example: Test Script: --------------- <?php interface IInterface { public function test(); } class Grandfather { private function test() { return __METHOD__; } } class Father extends Grandfather implements IInterface { public function test() { return __METHOD__; } } class Son extends Father { protected function test() { return __METHOD__; } } function printTest(IInterface $i) { return $i->test(); } $aObjs = array(new Father(), new Son()); $rcInterface = new ReflectionClass('IInterface'); foreach ($aObjs AS $obj) { $rc = new ReflectionClass($obj); $testMethod = $rc->getMethod('test'); printf('%s' . PHP_EOL, str_pad($rc->getName() . ' START', 25, '-', STR_PAD_BOTH)); // Procedural checks printf('%s instanceof IInterface? %d' . PHP_EOL, $rc->getName(), ($obj instanceof IInterface)); printf('is_a(%s, IInterface)? %d' . PHP_EOL, $rc->getName(), is_a($obj, 'IInterface')); printf('is_subclass_of(%s, IInterface)? %d' . PHP_EOL, $rc->getName(), is_subclass_of($obj, 'IInterface')); // reflection checks. printf('(Reflection)%s::implementsInterface(IInterface)? %d' . PHP_EOL, $rc->getName(), $rc->implementsInterface('IInterface')); printf('(Reflection)%s::getInterfaceNames(): %s' . PHP_EOL, $rc->getName(), implode(', ', $rc->getInterfaceNames())); printf('%s::isInstance(%s)? %d' . PHP_EOL, $rcInterface->getName(), $rc->getName(), $rcInterface->isInstance($obj)); print('Methods:' . PHP_EOL); foreach ($rc->getMethods() AS $method) { $objMethod = $rc->getMethod($method->getName()); try { $prototype = $method->getPrototype()->getDeclaringClass(); } catch (ReflectionException $ex) { $prototype = $method->getDeclaringClass(); } printf("\t%s prototyped by %s is public? %d" . PHP_EOL, $method->getName(), $prototype->getName(), $objMethod->isPublic()); } printf('Call %s::test() via printTest: %s' . PHP_EOL, $rc->getName(), printTest($obj)); printf('%s' . PHP_EOL, str_pad($rc->getName() . ' END', 25, '-', STR_PAD_BOTH)); print(PHP_EOL); } ?> Expected Results: ------------------ Fatal error: Access level to Son::test() must be public (as in class Father) Actual Results: ------------------ ------Father START------- Father instanceof IInterface? 1 is_a(Father, IInterface)? 1 is_subclass_of(Father, IInterface)? 1 (Reflection)Father::implementsInterface(IInterface)? 1 (Reflection)Father::getInterfaceNames(): IInterface IInterface::isInstance(Father)? 1 Methods: test prototyped by IInterface is public? 1 Call Father::test() via printTest: Father::test -------Father END-------- --------Son START-------- Son instanceof IInterface? 1 is_a(Son, IInterface)? 1 is_subclass_of(Son, IInterface)? 1 (Reflection)Son::implementsInterface(IInterface)? 1 (Reflection)Son::getInterfaceNames(): IInterface IInterface::isInstance(Son)? 1 Methods: test prototyped by IInterface is public? 0 Fatal error: Call to protected method Son::test() from context '' So everything here does indicate that Son is a typeof IInterface, yet it clearly shows that the prototyped IInterface::test() has been demoted to a non-public scope. The only way I can "fix" this is by double checking any check against the object in question: function printTest(IInterface $i) { $sResult = ''; $rc = new ReflectionClass($i); $method = $rc->getMethod('test'); if ($method->isPublic()) { $sResult = $method->invoke(); } return $sResult; } Which given the pass for the IInterface check on the typehint should contract that object to guarantee the IInterface::test method, yet here we must double check that its within an accessible scope and therefore violates the interface contract. So I need to ask again, what is the purpose of the interface if the class isn't obligated to implement all the methods in a public scope? Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2012-08-24 00:35:14] rasmus@php.net Johannes, I think you are actually agreeing with him here. As per Liskov you can't tighten visibility, you can only loosen it on inheritance. However, in this case you aren't tightening it because the original was private, so setting it back to private is allowed and doesn't violate Liskov. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2012-08-23 21:28:49] johannes@php.net If you'd stiffen visibility you'd be violating the is-a contract given. If an object is using a classed derived from A and I can do "instanceof A" I expect to be able to call all methods from A and having them do something like A's method does. When stiffening that won't be the case anymore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2012-08-23 19:49:18] kev dot simpson at gmail dot com I reported this same problem a few years ago here: https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=48376 I was told this was not a bug (although I haven't a clue as to why its not deemed as such). I believe C# allows you the ability to do this as it would resolve up the scope, but as of 5.4.0 I still cannot get why it allows forced reduced scopes during declaration, but provides an uncatchable fatal error on call. I'm still most concerned by the allowed reduction from an interface. There is no way to guarantee that an interface will implement the method in question regardless of if it is known to be that type which truly is a shame. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2012-08-14 09:50:47] resha dot ru at gmail dot com Sorry, it should be: class F extends D { private function test() { } // stiffen visibility from public to private (unexpected) } But nevertheless. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2012-08-14 09:48:17] resha dot ru at gmail dot com Description: ------------ It is possible to stiffen visibility (from public to protected, from public to private and from protected to private) if any of parent classes has private modifier. Test script: --------------- class A { private function test() { } } class B extends A { protected function test() { } // loosen visibility from private to protected (expected) } class C extends B { private function test() { } // stiffen visibility from protected to private (unexpected) } class D extends B { public function test() { } // loosen visibility from protected to public (expected) } class E extends D { protected function test() { } // stiffen visibility from public to protected (unexpected) } class F extends B { private function test() { } // stiffen visibility from public to private (unexpected) } Expected result: ---------------- PHP Fatal error: Access level to C::test() must be protected (as in class B) or weaker Actual result: -------------- Everything is ok. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=62814&edit=1