Advice on best way to structure classes

bunner_bob

I'm trying to refine my object-oriented PHP programming. I feel I'm part-way there - I understand how to make and use classes, and the benefits they provide - but I'm having trouble figuring out the best way to pull it all together into a logical efficient whole. I'm trying to follow at least loosely the Model-View-Controller (MVC) concept, where functionality is separated into the data model, the view that is delivered to the end user, and the controller that handles the workings between the two.

The body content is the part I feel I'm doing most wrong. First I create an object which retrieves a sql query into an array in one of its variables. I then I do a foreach() on that array and pass each row to another class object that handles formatting of text and images, combining them with html formatting templates (stored in an included file). I'm not creating one view formatting object for each row - I create a single view formatting object and then pass each row to it. So in a sense I'm treating the object like a machine to process data and spit it back out.

Once it's inside the object, I'm basically just running it through functions, only creating new objects when I need to access another table for additional data. After processing and formatting, the formatted data is returned and tacked onto the end of a variable using ".=". Finally the variable is dropped into a page template (with a number of other variables) to create a complete page.

For example, in a page containing a number of similar entries - motorcycle trips - I pass each row retrieved from the "trips" table into my view formatting object. A number of elements in the row are wrapped into html formatting right away. Some elements require more extensive processing. There is a list of attending members to be displayed with each trip - have to retrieve the name of each member who belongs to the trip. There is a list of stories (each with link) that go with each trip - have to retrieve the title, author and link info for each. And a list of photo slideshows for each trip.

What do people think is the best way to do this?

Should I create a separate object for each trip, instead of a single "processor" object I pass each row through?

Should I create a separate object for each member who attends a trip, or a single object for the attendance list, or both, or neither?

Should I create a separate object for each story/slideshow for a trip, or collective "story list" and "slideshow list" objects, or both, or neither?

I guess overall I'm wondering about the nature of objects and how I should best be using them in the interest of a) following best practices, b) making the code understandable when I return to it in the future, c) making the code reusable, and/or d) not looking like a moron.

Any advice, links to good articles, whatever, would be supremely appreciated!

rehfeld

im still learning too, it sounds like were at about the same level.

its kinda hard to suggest what to do w/ out seeing your code, and knowing more specific of what your doing, but i
think you should be able to answer your own questions.

something i try to always keep in mind, is to think of all things like objects. when i do this, my answer to questions like
"Should I create a separate object for each trip, instead of a single "processor" object I pass each row through? "

would be a definate yes.

when i look at really nice oo examples, most methods are 7 lines or less, usually just 2-3 lines. very small and specific.

but of course there can be no end to that

you could refactor into a "trip" object. then refactor the trip object into "trip times, trip location, agenda etc.... and on and on

while the benefits to that are obvious, its also obvious you maybe wasting your time if you will never need that functionality.

but from what i can try to visualize, heres my responses to your questions

Should I create a separate object for each trip, instead of a single "processor" object I pass each row through?

if different trips will dictate the way the data behaves which depends upon the trip, yes.

Should I create a separate object for each member who attends a trip, or a single object for the attendance list, or both, or neither?

maybe have an attendance object(this could be the trip onject), which is extended by member objects

Should I create a separate object for each story/slideshow for a trip, or collective "story list" and "slideshow list" objects, or both, or neither?

if the story/slideshow is specific to each member, you would prob want an it to be a child of the member object

like i said, im nowhere near being a master, im just offering suggestions
because i have a different point of view than you do, and hopefully it will give
you ideas, even if they are totally contrary to what i suggested.

but above all, keep it simple. you can easily lose yourself if you spread things
out much more than you need them to be. i often make a class thats "fat" and has too much in each method on
purpose, and then once im done or near done w/ that section, then i look at it and see where i could really
benefit from refactoring the code.

this place has some good info

http://phppatterns.com/