Instance variables

I already have an extension that creates a class. The first step in converting PEAR_Delegator to a pecl extension is to create instance variables. Here is the object definition: typedef struct _Delegator {

    zend_object        zendObject;            /* base */

    zval        *    _delegates;
    zval        *    _delegatesFalse;
    zval        *    _method_map;

} Delegator; I then create the variables as follows: MAKE_STD_ZVAL(intern->_delegates); array_init(intern->_delegates); MAKE_STD_ZVAL(intern->_delegatesFalse); array_init(intern->_delegatesFalse); MAKE_STD_ZVAL(intern->_method_map); array_init(intern->_method_map); Even though I only need HashTables, I have used zval's. Is this wrong? The trouble is now to make these protected properties of the class so that subclasses can access them. I have tried using zend_declare_property, but that doesn't allow internal zval's to be arrays, etc. Moreover, PEAR_Delegator has this code for removing all delegation information: public function removeAllDelegates() {

    unset($this->_method_map);
    unset($this->_delegates);
    unset($this->_delegatesFalse);

    $this->_method_map     = array();
    $this->_delegates           = array();
    $this->_delegatesFalse = array();

} How can I do this? Is there a more efficient way to clear out an array? In other words, I would like to know how to manipulate these variables as I do in PHP. Thanks for any response. Sincerely, Witten