problem in global variable definitions

[davidklonski]

Hello

I am trying to do the following:

define a global array called translation in a file called english.php:

<?php
$translation = Array();
$translation ['hi'] = "hi";
$translation ['bye'] = "bye";
?>

a second file called LanguageManager.php has the following definition:

<?php
$languageData = Array();
$languageData['English'] = Array();
$languageData['English']['file'] = "english.php";
?>

This is the file that uses the code:

<?php
include_once(LanguageManager.php);

global $languageData;
include($languageData[$language]['file']);

gloabl $translation ;

print $translation ['hi'];
?>

I use the last segment of code whenever I want to display text to the screen.
The problem that sometimes I get a warning saying that 'English' was never defined as an index to $languageData.

What could cause this?

thanks

[Simon_Hartley]

A line of your code reads:

include($languageData[$language]['file']);

where in the code you have posted is $language defined?

[davidklonski]

let me write the complete code that I am using an not a simpler version:

I have four files:
English.inc.php is the following:

<?php
// translations to English

$translate = Array();

$translate['hello'] = 'hello';
$translate['good'] = 'good';
?>

Similaryly I have French.inc.php:

<?php
// translations to French

$translate = Array();

$translate['hello'] = 'bonjour';
$translate['good'] = 'bon';
?>

LanguageManager.inc.php is the following:

<?php
$languageData = Array();

$languageData['English'] = Array();
$languageData['English']['translationFile'] = "English.inc.php";

$languageData['French'] = Array();
$languageData['French']['translationFile'] = "French.inc.php";

class LanguageManager 
{
   var $currentLanguage = 'English';

   function getLanguageData() {
     global $languageData;

 return $languageData[$this->currentLanguage];
   }

   function setLanguage($lang) {
      $this->currentLanguage = $lang;
   }
}
?>

Lastly, I have the code that uses the LanguageManager. For example in test.php

<?php
include_once("LanguageManager.inc.php");
$languageManager = new LanguageManager();
$languageData = $languageManager->getLanguageData();
$translationFile = $languageData['translationFile'];
include_once($translationFile);

global $translate;

echo $translate['hello'];
?>

Now if in test.php I do this:

<?php

   include_once("Obj.inc.php");

   $obj = new Obj();
   $obj->writeHello();
?>

where Obj is defined in Obj.inc.php:

<?php

include_once("LanguageManager.inc.php");

class Obj {
   function writeHello() {
     $languageManager = new LanguageManager();
     $languageData = $languageManager->getLanguageData();
     $translationFile = $languageData['translationFile'];
     include_once($translationFile);

 global $translate;

 echo $translate['hello'];

   }
}

?>

the same code crushes saying that 'English' was never defined as an index for the $languageData array

[laserlight]

May I suggest that you make $languageData a member variable of the class?

It would solve your headaches by using the object only, rather than randomly dealing with the global variable.

[davidklonski]

thanks, I took your advice
Things are simpler now, except that I need to create the array everytime an instance of LanguageManager is created

[laserlight]

hmm... I was going to suggest using the static keyword, then I realised that PHP (or PHP4 at least) doesnt have it :o

There may be another way out though, but I'm not sure if it will be more efficient or less efficient.

This would be to have a Language class as well.

The LanguageManager class would then have a member variable of an array of Language objects.

So you access a LanguageManager object and it keeps track of the languages for you, with each language object keeping track of its own data.

[davidklonski]

LanguageManager now holds a single array called $languages
which is a 2 dimensional array

$languages['English']['translationFile'] = "English.inc.php";
$languages['English']['direction'] = "ltr";
...

$languages['French']['translationFile'] = "French.inc.php";
$languages['French']['direction'] = "ltr";

this way I store all the data that I need.
I don't want to overkill with too many classes and objects.

[ahundiak]

php4 does support static variables at least to a limited degree.

class Item 
{
    function &getColumnAppMap()
    {
        static $columnAppMap;

    if (isset($columnAppMap))
       return $columnAppMap;

    $columnAppMap = array(
        'faq_qa_id' => 'faqQaID',
        'topic_id'  => 'topicID',
        'question'  => 'question',
        'answer'    => 'answer',
        'sortx'     => 'sortx',
    );
    return $columnAppMap;
}
 }

I think part of your problem might be that when you include the translate file inside of a method, $translate is not going to automatically become a global variable. It will be local to that metod. So you don't want that global in writeHello. Plus, the include_once will mean that a second call to writeHello will not reload the $translate info.

Consider having the Manager class return a specific language class to hide some of this from your app software.

Also, consider using require instead of include as that will generate a nice error is the file cannot be found.