note 57985 added to language.oop

This class method allows you to take a nice associative array of parameters into your class when the number of parameters gets unmanagable and/or has lots of default-value parameters. It is so useful I suggest putting on a general base class (I call mine Object) so all your descendents can use it. ----------------------------------------------------- Code: ----------------------------------------------------- function setClassVars( &$parameter_array ) { $class = get_class($this); $class_vars = get_class_vars($class); /* * check that each of the passed parameters are valid before setting the * appropriate class variable. */ foreach ( $parameter_array as $var => $value ){ if ( array_key_exists( $var, $class_vars ) ){ $this->$var = $value; } else{ $this->raiseError( 'setClassVars: class variable "' . $var . '" does not exist on class "' . $class . '"' ); } } } ----------------------------------------------------- for example: A complicated, messy, class method Before: ----------------------------------------------------- render( &$business_object, $on_change=false, $on_blur=false, $options=false $name ){ $this->business_object = $business_object; $this->name = $name; $this->on_blur = $on_blur; $this->options = $options; <code> } ----------------------------------------------------- A nice clean method After: ----------------------------------------------------- render( &$parameter_array ){ $this->setClassVars($parameter_array); <code> } ----------------------------------------------------- Example call: ----------------------------------------------------- $parameter_array = array( 'business_object' => $business_object, 'name' => $field_name, 'on_change' => 'form.submit()', 'on_blur' => 'javascript:validate()', $options => array( '1' => 'None Selected', '2' => 'Blue', '3' => 'Red' ) ); $my_object->render( &$parameters ); ----------------------------------------------------- Now isn't that easier to read AND maintain. Now you can change your API without the hassle of amending every call to the method! You no longer have to worry about where the default params are or even the order of your params. I hope someone else who has been swearing at their code finds this useful ;-) ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop.php Edit -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=edit+57985 Delete: added to the manual -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+57985&report=yes&reason=added+to+the+manual Delete: bad code -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+57985&report=yes&reason=bad+code Delete: spam -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+57985&report=yes&reason=spam Delete: useless -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+57985&report=yes&reason=useless Delete: non-english -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+57985&report=yes&reason=non-english Delete: already in docs -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+57985&report=yes&reason=already+in+docs Delete: other reasons -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+57985&report=yes Reject -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=reject+57985&report=yes Search -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php