[Resolved] Variable Function Names

[davidjam]

Quite simply, I am building a few classes for forms handling. In my SQL class I have a function that uses mysql_fetch . I want to be able to pass an argument to my class function that dynamically changes the name of the mysql function. For instance,

function($type="array") {
    mysql_fetch_$type($this->result);
    ..
}

or $type="row" or $type="assoc", etc

Is this possible? Or is there another solution?

[laserlight]

function foo($type = "array") {
	$type = "mysql_fetch_" . $type;
	if (function_exists($type)
		$type($this->result);
}

You may need to validate $type further if it is (or is derived from) an incoming variable, or you may not even need to use function_exists() if you can be absolutely sure of the possible values of $type.

[davidjam]

Thanks laser for your quick and perfect reply. Sometimes I can't see the forest from the trees and that solution was so obvious I couldn't even see it. 🙂

[PHPMagician]

You forgot the closing parenthesis in your if statement. Also, it would be wise to return something. I guess I would write it like this:

<?php
function mysql_fetch($type = 'array')
{
    $function = 'mysql_fetch_'. $type;
    if (function_exists($function)) {
        return $function($this->result);
    }
    else {
        exit('Wrong type!');
    }
}
?>

[laserlight]

You forgot the closing parenthesis in your if statement. Also, it would be wise to return something. I guess I would write it like this:

That's true.
On the other hand, my intention was not to write a real-world function, but merely to take davidjam's function and provide the answer he had a mental block for.
Likewise, you dont really plan to exit() so ungracefully in your actual scripts, do you?

[PHPMagician]

lol, no, true. I was just spoon-feeding.