an object;

.. is defined;

An ‘object’ is an instance of a ‘class’. You define a class using the code below.

class parentClass
{
// methods (functions) and properties (variables) go in here
}

..is instantiated;

$parentObject = new parentClass;

Optionally, you can pass variables into the class which are used by the constructor method (we'll get to this shortly ..)

$parentObject = new parentClass($var1, $var2);

..can inherit;

A class can inherit from another class and access all of the parent methods and properties
contained within. This is one of the key principles of OOP; Inheritance.

class childClass extends parentClass {
// methods (functions) and properties (variables) go in here
}

..has a constructor;

This is a ‘magic method’ which is executed when the object is instantiated. If no constructor is
defined, the constructor from the parent class (if applicable) is used.

function __construct() {
// code goes in here
}

If you are passing variables into the object then you will need to use the following code:

function __construct($var1, $var2) {
// code goes in here
}

You can use the parent constructor from the constructor in the child class . For example,

function __construct($var1, $var2)
{
parent::__construct($var1, $var2);
}

.. has a destructor;

This ‘magic method’ is executed when the object has finished, usually once the script has
finished processing.

function __destruct()
{
// code goes in here
}

..can be abstract;

This class cannot be instantiated directly and must be extended from. This is one of the key
principles of OOP; Abstraction.

abstract class parentClass
{
// code goes in here
}

..can be final;

This is the last class in the hierarchy. You cannot extend from this class.

final class childClass extends parentClass {
// code goes in here
}

..can be copied;

An object (an instance of a class) can be copied. This creates an entirely new instance of the object containing the data at the point the object was copied.

$childObject = new childClass;
$copyChildObject = clone $childObject;

.. can be autoloaded;

Auto loading is a ‘magic method’ which is called once a new object is instantiated. It is commonly used to include the class PHP file so you don’t need to include all the class files in your application. For example;

function __autoload($class)
{
include_once(CLASS_INCLUDE_PATH.'class.'.$class.'.php');
}

..using instanceof;

This is used to determine whether a variable is an instantiated object.

$childObject = new childClass;
if ($childObject instanceof childClass)
{
// this is true
}

..using __call();

This is a ‘magic method’ which is run when an inaccessible or undefined method is called. The
function name and arguments must be passed in as arguments.

function __call($function, $args)
{
echo ‘Call to inaccessible or undefined method.’;
echo ‘Method: ’. $function . ’’;
echo implode(', ', $args);
exit;
}
a method;

..is defined;

A method is a function within a class.

function childMethod()
{
echo 'This is a method.';
}

..is accessed;

Use methods as you would normally use a function. You can pass variables into
the method if you wish. To call the method from within the class itself use;

$this->childMethod();

To call the method from outside the class use;

$childObject = new childClass;
$result = $childObject->childMethod();

You can also call methods from parent classes in the exact same way. You reference them from outside of the class using;

$childObject = new childClass;
$result = $childObject->parentMethod();

Alternatively, from within the child class you can use the following. This is normally only used when referencing static methods or properties.

$result = parent::parentMethod();

..can be abstract;

Making a method abstract means it must be defined in all child classes. If arguments are given,
they must also be included in the child classes. See examples below from the parent class;

abstract function requiredMethod($var1, $var2);

..can be overridden;

You can override a method in child classes, providing they are not set as final (see below). For example, the following method can be defined in the child class. This is one of the key principles of OOP; Polymorphism.

function parentMethod()
{
echo 'This is the same as the parent method.';
}

..can be final;

Marking a method as final means it cannot be overridden in subsequent child classes.

final function parentMethod()
{
echo 'You cannot define another method with this name';
}

..can be public;

By default, all methods are public. However, it is best practice to add the public keyword. This is
one of the key principles of OOP; Encapsulation.

public function parentMethod()
{
//code goes in here
}

..can be private;

If a method is set as private it can only be accessed from within the class itself.

private function parentMethod()
{
//code goes in here
}

..can be static;

A static method allows you to access static properties within a class, and nothing else. You do
not need to instantiate an object to access the static method. To define a static method use;

//define a static constant
static public $static = 10;

static function staticMethod()
{
//to access a static property use the self keyword
echo self::$static;
}

Then to access the method from outside the class without instantiating an object (where childClass is the name of the class) use;

echo childClass::staticMethod();

..type hinting;

Type hinting allows you to specify the data type of arguments being passed into a method. For example, you may only wish an array or an instance of an object to be passed in.

public function parentMethod(childClass $childObject)
{
echo 'The variable must be an instance of childClass';
}

You can also specify that an argument is an array using;

public function parentMethod(array $array)
{
echo 'The variable must be an array';
}

..using func_num_args();

This is a function which can be used within a method to check the number of arguments passed
into the method. For example;

public function parentMethod($var1, $var2) {
if (func_num_args() != 2)
{
return false;
}
else
{
//code goes in here
}
}
a property;

..is defined;

A property is a variable within a class. To define a property use;

$childVar = True;

..is accessed;

To reference a property or set a property value from within the class itself use;

//to reference a property
print $this->childVar;
//to set a property value
$this->childVar = False;

To reference a property or set a property value from outside of the class use;

//to reference a property
print $childObject->childVar;
//to set a property value
$childObject->childVar = False;

..can be public;

By default, all properties are public. This means they can be accessed and manipulated from
anywhere. However, it is best practice to add the public keyword;

public $childVar = True;
public $anotherVar;

..can be private;

A private property can only be accessed from within the class itself, not even in child classes.

private $childVar = True;
private $anotherVar;

..can be protected;

A protected property can only be accessed from within the class itself and any child classes. It
cannot be accessed from outside.

protected $childVar = True;
protected $anotherVar;

..can be static;

You do not need to instantiate an object to access a static property. To define a static property
use;

static public $static = 10;

To access the property from outside the class without instantiating an object (where
childClass is the name of the class) use;


echo childClass::$static;

..can be constant;

Constant properties will never change under any circumstances and are typically used as references for passing in as arguments into a method. For example, rather than passing in a value of 1, pass in the constant value STATUS_PENDING which has meaning. To define a constant use;

const STATUS_PENDING = 1;

To access the constant you use the class name in the same way as we accessed static properties.

echo childClass::STATUS_PENDING;
an interface;

..is defined;

An interface is an ‘instruction manual’ or ‘template’ on how classes must be used. It is similar to defining abstract methods in parent classes but allows for greater flexibility across multiple classes. It is typically used for high-level tasks such as logging or exception handling.

interface template
{
//code goes in here
}

..can contain methods;

This means that the defined methods and their signatures must be used somewhere in the
hierarchy that uses this interface.

interface template
{
public function templateMethod($arg1, $arg2);
}

..can contain constants;

You can declare interface constants which can be used within the classes and also from outside.
They cannot be overridden by any class which uses the interface.

interface template
{
const templateProperty = ‘value’;
}

To access these constants use;

echo template::templateProperty;

..is implemented;

When defining a class, you use the implements keyword to say the class must use the interface template. More than one interface can be implemented if desired.

class parentClass implements template
{
//code goes in here
}

..can be extended;

Interface can extend from other interfaces and inherit the same methods and constants from the
parent interfaces.

interface childTemplate extends parentTemplate
{
//code goes in here
}
Tags:

• oop
• php
• class
• object
• inheritance
• polymorphism
• abstraction
• drupalplanet

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