Several questions [functions, oop, db design]

[zacarias]

Hi.

I'm dealing with the following situations and I would like some opinions on both subjects. Thanks.

1 -

Is it ok to use recursive functions with OOP?

Something like

class whatever {
function whatever () {
$this->whatever_one = 1;
}
function whatever_recursive ( $a ) {
whatever;
this->whatever_recursive ( $a );
}

I'm asking because I've been told that OOP makes things slower. Does it get too slow?

2 -

Database

I have a database with two tables

articles
article_draft

Articles is where users post ARTICLES. But sometimes the user wants to start writing on "friday" and only end it some days latter, so there's the table article_draft where the user keeps saving his article draft.

The tables are very similar (main diference is that the "articles" table has the DATE and the APROVED fields.

This is how it works:

--- The user choses either to save as ARTICLE or as Draft.

--- If the user choses ARTICLE, it goes to the ARTICLE table, waiting for the admin to aprove it.

--- If the user choses DRAFT, it goes to the draft table. The user can access it latter in a special page that lists his drafts.

--- At any time the user can send his draft to be approved.

--- The system puts the draft in the ARTICLE table [inserting the date] and deletes the record on the DRAFT table.

The thing is: should I use only one table?

I think two tables is better because it prevents the article table from being filled up with "work in progress articles".

I could use one table, inserting a "is_draft" field in it.

What do you guys think? What should be the criteria to decide this kind of things (number of diferent fields, others?)?

3- Regarding the previous

There are modules with several functions that deal with those tables. If I use the TWO table approach, should I use one or two modules?

I could use ONE module with INSERT, DELETE, EDIT functions, passing an argument that identifies the table where it's suppose to go.

I could just create two modules, but that means that a considerable part of similar code is replicated.

On the other hand, if I want to use to ARTICLE module on a latter project that doesn't include the DRAFT, the code will have a bunch of conditions checking for the table. I could deal with that using something like

function insert ( $table, $data_array ) {
insert into $table
}

Instead of conditions.

Well, what do you think it's best?

Thanks.

[mcgruff]

(1) When I was starting out I used to be concerned about OOP performance. It is slightly slower but I really don't think it's an issue. The benefits can be huge - the more so the greater the scale of your php program.

I think you were asking if you can call a function from within its own function definition. That works in class methods as well as normal fns eg:

// apply $function to all elements in a multi-dimensional array regardless of depth
// $function can only take a single value as an arg (which, in use, will be the current array element) and $function must return a value
// uses: slashing, searching, replacing, wotevva
function arrayIterator(&$array, $function) 
{
    foreach ($array as $key=>$value) 
    {     

        IF (!is_array($value))
        {
            $array[$key] = $function($value);

    } ELSE {

        arrayIterator($value, $function);
        $array[$key] = $value; 
    }
}
}

(2) Personally I'd use a single table with a "publish" column to control whether the article is approved for publication...

(3) .. avoiding these issues.

[procoder]

by module you mean a class, a included file /w functions?

[zacarias]

Originally posted by procoder
by module you mean a class, a included file /w functions?

It's a class.

Thanks.

[procoder]

Well most mysql classes, including mine, i just specify the query, and not use a function.

but I see what your trying to do, how about this

function article_db($action='') {
switch($action) {

case 'add':
$query = 'insert into...';
break;

case 'del':
$query = 'delete from...';
break;

default:
$query = 'selecr..';
}
mysql_query($query);

}

hope this helps

[zacarias]

Originally posted by procoder
Well most mysql classes, including mine, i just specify the query, and not use a function.

but I see what your trying to do, how about this

Well, I like to use functions because I'm used to separating code.

Also, I have a few functions with several IFs - the search and update functions, in example, construct the SQL query according to the arguments - that make some fuctions long. Using it in a single case (or if/else if/else) would make it big and less readable than just using diferent functions (IMHO also easier to debug).

Here's a small description of how it works: include the (module) in a (file) and that (file) gives "orders" to the (module)
and may receive something back (when it's a select) or not (insert, update).

Example:

$article_object = new article;

$article_object->insert ( $title, $text, $author_id );

module example:

class article {

function insert ( $title, $text, $author_id ) {

   $sql_query = "insert into"

   }

function update ( ) {

}

}

[procoder]

heh get used to using the world class because you will confuse alot of people.

the way you are doing it is fine. dont worry about how fast or good your code is, if it works, and its secure its fine. there are about limitless ways to write any function 🙂

[zacarias]

Originally posted by procoder
heh get used to using the world class because you will confuse alot of people.

Excuse me, what's "World class"? Thanks.

[procoder]

sorry, i make alot of typos.

use the word class instead of modules. as thats more proper in php