getters-setters-simplyfied-by-call-magic.php

<?php

/**
 * Disclaimer - I am aware using __call to set things isn't anything new, once upon a time, I created an ORM class doing that, but this
 * time I'd like to ask about using this approach actually everytime we need accessors like set/get.
 * 
 * OK, so using accessors is a good practice. But quite boring, isn't it? Even with all this IDEs' support (menu code -> create accessors for me please).
 * 
 * Why not use the __call magic method catching "get/set" methods?
 * 
 * On a ocassion we indeed need a set/get function we can explicitly create one.
 * Like in the example below.
 * Issues: obviously slower, no ide code support
 */ 
 
class Blah {
    
    protected $firstName;
    protected $age;
    protected $myFavDrink = 'Coffee';
    
    //this will handle all these "set/get" accessors. Except the ones, we explicitly define.
    public function __call($method, $args) {
        //No checking for the right number of arguments or whatever. Just to make the code clean.
        
        echo "$method called, via __call\n";
        if(strpos($method,'set') === 0){
            $propName = lcfirst(substr($method,3,strlen($method) - 3));
            $this->{$propName} = $args[0];
        }elseif(strpos($method,'get') === 0){
            $propName = lcfirst(substr($method,3,strlen($method) - 3));
            return $this->{$propName};
        }else{
            throw new Exception('oh oh oh');
        }
    }
    
    //we don't want and need to create a set/get for $firstName or anything. But,
    //we want to do something special when we do the "set" on "age"
    public function setAge($age){
        echo "setAge called, directly\n";
        if(!is_numeric($age)){
            //$this->error('oh oh oh');
        };
        $this->age = $age;
    }
}

$b = new Blah();

//this will call the seAge method
$b->setAge('30');

//this will call the __call magic method
$b->setFirstName('Angelika');
echo "\n---result---\n\n";
var_dump($b);

////////////////////////////////
//Inheritance doesn't make any surprises afaik.
echo "\n---result of the Son---\n\n";
class BlahSon extends Blah{
    protected $something;
}

$bs = new BlahSon();
$bs->setSomething("I'm something");
var_dump($bs);
?>