[RESOLVED] Correct Syntax for $obj->arrayItem[i]->method()

[kebbelj]

This is my first non-trivial OOP program. I am dynamically creating 1300+ objects from a MySQL database. As each object is created, it is added to an array so I can use a loop to reference the object dynamically and change its properties. If I put the object $Buffalo_Bob into $puppetMaster[0], for instance, then ...

[CODE]$town = $Buffalo_Bob->getHomeTown();[/CODE]

should be the equivalent of ...

[CODE]$town = $puppetMaster[0]->getHomeTown();[/CODE]

I'm getting into problems with a line like this where I'm using the object $teamHelper to access the object inside array item $teamList[$i] to get the object's name from getTeamName(). 

[CODE]$teamHelper->teamList[$i]->getTeamName()[/CODE]

I know there's something amiss, but I'm not sure the correct way to approach the problem.

[ahundiak]

Are you using PHP 4? If so then you will need to;

$team = $teamHelper->teamList[$i];
$teamName = $team->getTeamName();

[kebbelj]

I'm embarrassed I left that out. Yes, I am using 5. Do I have to go the same route of

$team = $teamHelper->teamList[$i];
$teamName = $team->getTeamName(); 

in 5 also, or is there some kind of a shortcut?

[NogDog]

I suspect the problem is somewhere else, as the following code worked fine for me:

<?php
class Organizer
{
   public $objects = array();

   public function addObject($obj)
   {
      if(is_object($obj))
      {
         $this->objects[] = $obj;
      }
      else
      {
         throw new Exception(__method__.'(): Supplied argument is not an object.');
      }
   }
}

class Test
{
   public function hello()
   {
      echo "Hello, world.";
   }
}
// Test:
try
{
   $org = new Organizer();
   $org->addObject(new Test());
   $i = 0;
   $org->objects[$i]->hello();
}
catch(Exception $e)
{
   printf("<pre>%s</pre>", print_r($e, 1));
}

[kebbelj]

This question may seem totally unrelated to this thread, but it may be at the heart of this problem, and others I'd wind up posting if I don't get something straight. While I've taken at least 2 college courses (Java and C++), that dealt with Classes, I've never actually written anything longer than a few pages in either language. I'm feeling my way along at the same time I'm reading Zandstra's PHP5 Objects, Patterns, and Practice. Here's the problem I'm facing.

What is the guideline for creating local variables that you use and throw away versus class properties you keep?

I think I may have been creating all kinds of class properties simply because they were needed by the Class methods. When I look at my classes, I probably have a property bloat I could have avoided by creating local variables I used and discarded inside my Class methods. I feel "guilty" whenever I create a local variable, like I'm breaking some kind of unwritten OOP law. I get it about global variables, which everybody remembers to mention and warn you about, but I'm uncertain about how permissible local variables are.

[NogDog]

I don't think there's anything to be "guilty" about. If a variable only has meaning within a given method and has no reason to persist outside of that method, then I see no reason for it to be a class variable; and in fact your "property bloat" concern would be one reason against it.

If, however, you still find yourself with "property bloat" when you clean out any variables that are obviously local to their method(s), then it might be time to ask yourself if the class in question is trying to do too much and possibly needs to be divided into separate classes with more narrowly defined functionalities (perhaps implementing some sort of delegation pattern?).

[kebbelj]

I've been dealing with small relational databases for years and have a pretty good feel for trimming tables (and consequently Classes) down to the bare essentials. My "property bloat" came from adding new variables as my methods increased because it seemed like the OOP thing to do. Not worrying about $this->somevar in every other line will mean writing quicker and more clearly. Thanks for the advice. I'm marking this thread resolved.