[RESOLVED] Function help

[Flybersite]

I'm not sure about it but it is it possible to first intialize all functions and then use them wherever I want? I'll give you an example to understand what I really mean

e.g.

index.php

<?php

require_once('error_handler.php');
require_once('config.php');
require_once('common.php');

error_handler.php

function error_handler.php
{
error_and_exit();
...
}

common.php

...
function error_and_exit()
{
...
}

As you can see common.php is loaded after the error_handler.php even though error_handler.php is using a function from common.php. Is this possible to do? It would be much easier to get a nice structure into my project I'm building.

[laserlight]

As you can see common.php is loaded after the error_handler.php even though error_handler.php is using a function from common.php. Is this possible to do?

Yes, though I would rather include common.php in error_handler.php too. That is what require_once is for, after all.

[themeek]

PHP parses the whole file (and includes) before evaluating it, so it doesn't matter where the functions are defined.

Common sense and best practice would dictate that you would try and put them in some logical order though.

[Flybersite]

Is it also possible in a way to prevent loading functions which are not necessary at a page?

[laserlight]

Is it also possible in a way to prevent loading functions which are not necessary at a page?

Group your functions into appropriate files (e.g., one class and its related free functions in a file), and then it is less likely that you will include a bunch of functions that are not needed.

[themeek]

As per laserlight's response, the short answer is no.

The longer answer is that you probably don't need to worry too much... there's only a small amount of overhead to include and register the functions and their contents are only loaded if a particular function is called.

If you really wanted to have functions loaded "on demand", you could (as laserlight suggests) put them into static classes and register an autoload function (http://www.php.net/autoload).

[Flybersite]

Well, the point is that I don't use OOP 🙂

Don't really like it

[laserlight]

You do not have to use OOP to group your functions into appropriate files.

Even following themeek's suggestion of using classes is not OOP.

[themeek]

Using Objects != OOP

Using classes with static methods is just using PHP features to achieve what you're trying to achieve.

[Flybersite]

Well, thanks for the help, it means a lot to me