Accessing class var.

[RecoilUK]

Hi guys

I have a database connection class which makes a db connection and associates that connection with var $this->db_link.

Now if I want to access this var outside the class I can use ...

$mysqli = new dbconnect();
$mysqli->db_link;

Now basically, I,m going to have a few classes that are going to need access to the var, whats the safest and most elegant way of making it available inside my claases.

I know I could make it global to the functions, but that doesnt look good.

What do u think?

Thanks guys

[bpat1434]

I think you should have an accessor method, rather than accessing it directly. Let me show you why:

$mysqli = new dbconnect();
echo $mysqli->db_link; // echos 'Resource 19' or something like that
$mysqli->db_link = 'I\'ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts...';
echo $mysqli->db_link; // echos "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts..."

With an accessor method, you'd take away the ability to directly modify the variable to some classes; however, only in PHP5 can you really make $this->db_link private and really protect it. But your accessor method would be:

class dbconnect {
  var $db_link;
  /* ... */
  function getDBLink() {
    return $this->db_link;
  }

  /* ... */
}

Now instead of doing what you have above, you can do this:

$mysqli = new dbconnect();
$dbc = $mysqli->getDBLink();

Now $dbc will hold a copy of the $db_link var from within your class. Much better, especially since if later on you want to change it from $db_link to something like $db_link_identifier_resource_variable. You'd change only your class, not every script you call it in 😉

[RecoilUK]

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

Yes thats a good idea, but how would I go about accessing the getFunction from inside a different class?

Thanks

[bpat1434]

Database::getFunction()

Something like that.