can i have an array as a class variable?

[nephish]

hey there, is this ok?

class MyClass
{
var $start;
var $finish;
function MyClass($start, $finish)
{
$this->start = $start;
$this->finish=$finish,
$this->sensor_array = get_sensor_array();
}
function get_sensor_array
{
so some stuff to populate $this->sensor_array;
return array($this->sensor_array);
}
}

another question i have,
why do i need to declare variables with the var if i can declare them
in the constructor without it ?

just a couple of questions.
if you have read this far, thanks for your time

sk

[Slant]

Hey nephish,

You have some very good questions. I recently had some of these as
well.

class MyClass
{
var $start;
var $finish;

You don't HAVE to declair these variables here. It's just good
practice to do so as you can change the scope of the variables here.

function MyClass($start, $finish)

If you're using PHP 5, I'd HIGHLY recommend that you use the following
instead of what you are using here:

function __construct($start,$finish)

Why? Because the method of building a construct using the same name as
the class itself it old-school PHP 4 stuff. If you're still using PHP
4, then by all means, keep at it. The "__construct" method is the new
method for PHP 5. Just cleans things up a bit! Give it a try. :)

{
$this->start = $start;
$this->finish=$finish,
$this->sensor_array = get_sensor_array();
}

I see no reason why this should not work. In a recent post here in
this same group, I posted a very similar example for a Database
instantiation class:

function __construct() {

$db['host'] = "localhost";
$db['user'] = "root";
$db['pass'] = "";
$db['name'] = "pbtportal";

$link = mysql_connect($db['host'],$db['user'],$db['pass']);
mysql_select_db($db['name'],$link);

}

Works like a charm! In this case, I did not declair the variable "$db"
but probably should have.

function get_sensor_array
{
so some stuff to populate $this->sensor_array;
return array($this->sensor_array);
}
}

I hope that helps!

[nephish]

Slant wrote:

Hey nephish,

You have some very good questions. I recently had some of these as
well.

class MyClass
{
var $start;
var $finish;

You don't HAVE to declair these variables here. It's just good
practice to do so as you can change the scope of the variables here.

function MyClass($start, $finish)

If you're using PHP 5, I'd HIGHLY recommend that you use the following
instead of what you are using here:

function __construct($start,$finish)

Why? Because the method of building a construct using the same name as
the class itself it old-school PHP 4 stuff. If you're still using PHP
4, then by all means, keep at it. The "__construct" method is the new
method for PHP 5. Just cleans things up a bit! Give it a try. :)

{
$this->start = $start;
$this->finish=$finish,
$this->sensor_array = get_sensor_array();
}

I see no reason why this should not work. In a recent post here in
this same group, I posted a very similar example for a Database
instantiation class:

function __construct() {

$db['host'] = "localhost";
$db['user'] = "root";
$db['pass'] = "";
$db['name'] = "pbtportal";

$link = mysql_connect($db['host'],$db['user'],$db['pass']);
mysql_select_db($db['name'],$link);

}

Works like a charm! In this case, I did not declair the variable "$db"
but probably should have.

function get_sensor_array
{
so some stuff to populate $this->sensor_array;
return array($this->sensor_array);
}
}

I hope that helps!

Yes, this helps!
thanks very much for your reply.
i am testing code on a system with php5 and the production machine is
php4. I know this is not the best idea, but it's what i have.
i am using something similar to your code to have my user name and
password out of the web folder. It just hasn't been in a class. cool.
thanks again.
sk

[Kimmo Laine]

"Slant" <rc****@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@d34g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...

I see no reason why this should not work. In a recent post here in
this same group, I posted a very similar example for a Database
instantiation class:

function __construct() {

$db['host'] = "localhost";
$db['user'] = "root";
$db['pass'] = "";
$db['name'] = "pbtportal";

$link = mysql_connect($db['host'],$db['user'],$db['pass']);
mysql_select_db($db['name'],$link);

}

Works like a charm! In this case, I did not declair the variable "$db"
but probably should have.

IMHO, those aren't class members, the $db elements. You should be using the
$this pointer: $this->db[...]. Now they're only visible inside the scope of
the __construct method. This is't exactly the same thing that nephish was
asking...

Still, the way nephish was doing it works fine, your example just doesn't
demonstrate it very well.

--
"Ohjelmoija on organismi joka muuttaa kofeiinia koodiksi" - lpk
http://outolempi.net/ahdistus/ - Satunnaisesti päivittyvä nettisarjis
sp**@outolempi.net || Gedoon-S @ IRCnet || rot13(xv***@bhgbyrzcv.arg)

[nephish]

Kimmo Laine wrote:

"Slant" <rc****@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@d34g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...

I see no reason why this should not work. In a recent post here in
this same group, I posted a very similar example for a Database
instantiation class:

function __construct() {

$db['host'] = "localhost";
$db['user'] = "root";
$db['pass'] = "";
$db['name'] = "pbtportal";

$link = mysql_connect($db['host'],$db['user'],$db['pass']);
mysql_select_db($db['name'],$link);

}

Works like a charm! In this case, I did not declair the variable "$db"
but probably should have.

IMHO, those aren't class members, the $db elements. You should be using the
$this pointer: $this->db[...]. Now they're only visible inside the scope of
the __construct method. This is't exactly the same thing that nephish was
asking...

Still, the way nephish was doing it works fine, your example just doesn't
demonstrate it very well.

--
"Ohjelmoija on organismi joka muuttaa kofeiinia koodiksi" - lpk
http://outolempi.net/ahdistus/ - Satunnaisesti päivittyvä nettisarjis
sp**@outolempi.net || Gedoon-S @ IRCnet || rot13(xv***@bhgbyrzcv.arg)

OK, i have a new question now.
can i set a class object in a session variable ?

like this:

class Person
{
function Person($name)
{
$this->name = $name;
}
}

$frank = new Person;
$_SESSION['name'] = $frank;

or is this just too much ?
}

[Slant]

Fair enough. I did not mean to be unclear. I actually did not use the
$this-specifier BECAUSE I did not want to be able to access this
array anywhere but within the construct. Not defining a variable with
$this-attached disallows other methods within the class from
accessing it, does it not? It certainly does not work anyway. Maybe
I'm missing something.

To your question though, nephish. I don't see a problem with what you
are doing. the Session variable, after all, is just another variable.
You can store many things in variables, as you obviously know. What
you're suggesting would work most efficiently if a single value was
returned from the object that the session variable is being assigned
to. For example:
$frank = new Person;
$_SESSION['auth'] = $frank->validate('frank');

class frank {
function validate($name) {
if ($name == auth (whatever method you choose to use for
authorization)) {
return true;
} else {
return false;
}
}
}

if ($_SESSION['auth'] == true) {
echo "Yea! Fun to ensue!";
}
I'd probably not place the contents of the class directly into the
Session variable, but instead call the object to do whatever you want,
then return the data in an instance variable and assign THAT to the
Session variable. How does that sound?
$frank = new Person;
$frank->validate('frank');
$_SESSION['auth'] = $frank->authorized;

class frank {
function validate($name) {
if ($name == authorized (whatever method you choose to use for
authorization)) {
$this->authorized = true;
} else {
$this->authorized = false;
}
}
}

if ($_SESSION['auth'] == true) {
echo "Yea! Fun to ensue!";
}
Kimmo Laine wrote:

"Slant" <rc****@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@d34g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...

I see no reason why this should not work. In a recent post here in
this same group, I posted a very similar example for a Database
instantiation class:

function __construct() {

$db['host'] = "localhost";
$db['user'] = "root";
$db['pass'] = "";
$db['name'] = "pbtportal";

$link = mysql_connect($db['host'],$db['user'],$db['pass']);
mysql_select_db($db['name'],$link);

}

Works like a charm! In this case, I did not declair the variable "$db"
but probably should have.

IMHO, those aren't class members, the $db elements. You should be using the
$this pointer: $this->db[...]. Now they're only visible inside the scope of
the __construct method. This is't exactly the same thing that nephish was
asking...

Still, the way nephish was doing it works fine, your example just doesn't
demonstrate it very well.

--
"Ohjelmoija on organismi joka muuttaa kofeiinia koodiksi" - lpk
http://outolempi.net/ahdistus/ - Satunnaisesti päivittyvä nettisarjis
sp**@outolempi.net || Gedoon-S @ IRCnet || rot13(xv***@bhgbyrzcv.arg)

[nephish]

Slant wrote:

Fair enough. I did not mean to be unclear. I actually did not use the
$this-specifier BECAUSE I did not want to be able to access this
array anywhere but within the construct. Not defining a variable with
$this-attached disallows other methods within the class from
accessing it, does it not? It certainly does not work anyway. Maybe
I'm missing something.

To your question though, nephish. I don't see a problem with what you
are doing. the Session variable, after all, is just another variable.
You can store many things in variables, as you obviously know. What
you're suggesting would work most efficiently if a single value was
returned from the object that the session variable is being assigned
to. For example:
$frank = new Person;
$_SESSION['auth'] = $frank->validate('frank');

class frank {
function validate($name) {
if ($name == auth (whatever method you choose to use for
authorization)) {
return true;
} else {
return false;
}
}
}

if ($_SESSION['auth'] == true) {
echo "Yea! Fun to ensue!";
}
I'd probably not place the contents of the class directly into the
Session variable, but instead call the object to do whatever you want,
then return the data in an instance variable and assign THAT to the
Session variable. How does that sound?
$frank = new Person;
$frank->validate('frank');
$_SESSION['auth'] = $frank->authorized;

class frank {
function validate($name) {
if ($name == authorized (whatever method you choose to use for
authorization)) {
$this->authorized = true;
} else {
$this->authorized = false;
}
}
}

if ($_SESSION['auth'] == true) {
echo "Yea! Fun to ensue!";
}
Kimmo Laine wrote:

"Slant" <rc****@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11**********************@d34g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...

I see no reason why this should not work. In a recent post here in
this same group, I posted a very similar example for a Database
instantiation class:
>
function __construct() {
>
$db['host'] = "localhost";
$db['user'] = "root";
$db['pass'] = "";
$db['name'] = "pbtportal";
>
$link = mysql_connect($db['host'],$db['user'],$db['pass']);
mysql_select_db($db['name'],$link);
>
}
>
Works like a charm! In this case, I did not declair the variable "$db"
but probably should have.

IMHO, those aren't class members, the $db elements. You should be usingthe
$this pointer: $this->db[...]. Now they're only visible inside the scope of
the __construct method. This is't exactly the same thing that nephish was
asking...

Still, the way nephish was doing it works fine, your example just doesn't
demonstrate it very well.

--
"Ohjelmoija on organismi joka muuttaa kofeiinia koodiksi" - lpk
http://outolempi.net/ahdistus/ - Satunnaisesti päivittyvä nettisarjis
sp**@outolempi.net || Gedoon-S @ IRCnet || rot13(xv***@bhgbyrzcv.arg)

ok, i get you, yeah, i think thats cleaner too.
thanks for your time.
nephish

[Kimmo Laine]

"nephish" <ne*****@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11*********************@b28g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com...

OK, i have a new question now.
can i set a class object in a session variable ?

like this:

class Person
{
function Person($name)
{
$this->name = $name;
}
}

$frank = new Person;
$_SESSION['name'] = $frank;

or is this just too much ?
}

Not just like that, you must first convert the object to a storeable format,
it's called serializing. There is a function called serialize() and it's
compliment function unserialize(). When you store the object to session, you
serialize it first. then when you need to revert it back from the session,
you unserialize it. And also, the class definition must be available on each
page where the object is accessed. If it is missing, the object can't be
unserialized.

on page1.php:
$_SESSION['name'] = serialize($frank);

on page2.php:
$frank = unserialize($_SESSION['name']);

--
"Ohjelmoija on organismi joka muuttaa kofeiinia koodiksi" - lpk
http://outolempi.net/ahdistus/ - Satunnaisesti päivittyvä nettisarjis
sp**@outolempi.net || Gedoon-S @ IRCnet || rot13(xv***@bhgbyrzcv.arg)

[nephish]

Kimmo Laine wrote:

"nephish" <ne*****@gmail.comwrote in message
news:11*********************@b28g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com...

OK, i have a new question now.
can i set a class object in a session variable ?

like this:

class Person
{
function Person($name)
{
$this->name = $name;
}
}

$frank = new Person;
$_SESSION['name'] = $frank;

or is this just too much ?
}

Not just like that, you must first convert the object to a storeable format,
it's called serializing. There is a function called serialize() and it's
compliment function unserialize(). When you store the object to session, you
serialize it first. then when you need to revert it back from the session,
you unserialize it. And also, the class definition must be available on each
page where the object is accessed. If it is missing, the object can't be
unserialized.

on page1.php:
$_SESSION['name'] = serialize($frank);

on page2.php:
$frank = unserialize($_SESSION['name']);

--
"Ohjelmoija on organismi joka muuttaa kofeiinia koodiksi" - lpk
http://outolempi.net/ahdistus/ - Satunnaisesti päivittyvä nettisarjis
sp**@outolempi.net || Gedoon-S @ IRCnet || rot13(xv***@bhgbyrzcv.arg)

Well, thanks ! this could make my sessions and keeping track of state a
whole lot easier. I had looked at serialize, but i thought that it had
to be set in a database. I didn't know it was that easy.

thanks a lot.

shawn