Strange Object Behaviour

[sakurachan]

first off:
PHP Version : PHP 4.4.2 (cli)
Webserver : Apache 1.3.31

I need some serious help here, this is driving me up the wall

I'm finding some seriously strange behaviour relating to objects

I find that sometimes when I apply a method on an object, it executes but then bombs out with Call to a member function on a non-object but infact it is an object!

I test it with is_object and it passes
I dump the result of get_class_methods ($object) and the list includes the method I wish to execute

Next is the only inclination that something wrong is happening.

So in the last ditch attempt at find the problem I var_dump the object just before I return it from it's function which creates it and I get the following:

object(whatson_itmartistmodel)(11) {
  ["attributes"]=>
  NULL
  ["errormessage"]=>
  NULL
  ["errorcode"]=>
  NULL
  ["classname"]=>
  NULL
  ["log"]=>
  NULL
  ["associates"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["saveCallbacks"]=>
  NULL
  ["id"]=>
  string(4) "3511"
  ["name"]=>
  string(14) "Satoshi Tomiie"
  ["alias"]=>
  string(1) "0"
  ["active"]=>
  string(1) "1"
}

Then I var_dump the variable whose value has been assigned the output of the aforemention function (ie. the object in question) and this is the output.

object(whatson_itmattributesmetaforeigntypemodel)(9) {
  ["attributes"]=>
  NULL
  ["errormessage"]=>
  NULL
  ["errorcode"]=>
  NULL
  ["classname"]=>
  NULL
  ["log"]=>
  NULL
  ["associates"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["saveCallbacks"]=>
  NULL
  ["id"]=>
  string(1) "2"
  ["name"]=>
  string(5) "venue"
}

NULL

You'll notice a trailing NULL I believe this is the problem.

Can someone please shed some light on this.

[sakurachan]

Okay so I've found a work around

$arr[] = $functionWhichReturnAnObject($params);

This allows me to isolate that mystery NULL and assign it to $arr[1], and leaving the object I require in $arr[0].

Hey presto.

I would still like your comments as this is a hack not a solution.