Joseph Wilk

We use the magic __call method in PHP which is called on an object when a declared function is called on it but it does not exist. This behaviour allows us to have default getters/setters but if we want specific behaviour for a get/set we just have to add the function to the class and __call will no longer be used for that class attribute.

1. class GetSetExample{
2.  
3. /**
4. * Dynamic getters and setters than maintain getX and setX formati. They can be overwritten
5. * if custom processing is needed
6. *
7. * @param string $method
8. * @param array $arguments
9. * @return mixed
10. */
11. function __call($method, $arguments) {
12.  
13. #Is this a get or a set
14. $prefix = strtolower(substr($method, 0, 3));
15.  
16. #What is the get/set class attribute
17. $property = substr($method, 3);
18.  
19. if (empty($prefix) || empty($property)) { #Did not match a get/set call
20. throw New Exception("Calling a non get/set method that does not exist: $method");
21. }
22.  
23. #Check if the get/set paramter exists within this class as an attribute
24. $match=false;
25. foreach($this as $class_var=>$class_var_value){
26. if(strtolower($class_var) == strtolower($property)){
27. $property=$class_var;
28. $match=true;
29. }
30. }
31.  
32. #Get attribute
33. if ($match && $prefix == "get" && (isset($this->$property) || is_null($this->$property)) {
34. return $this->$property;
35. }
36.  
37. #Set
38. if ($match && $prefix == "set") {
39. $this->$property = $arguments[0];
40. }
41. elseif (!$match && $prefix == "set"){
42. throw new Exception("Setting a variable that does not exist: var:$property value: $arguments[0]");
43. }
44. else{
45. throw new Exception("Calling a get/set method that does not exist: $property");
46. }
47. }
48.  
49. }