A simple example of using a Lazy Loading Proxy object in PHP. It is useful when attempting to work with legacy code for logging and memory savings when working with global objects..

gistfile2.php

<?php
$Database = new LazyLoadingProxy('Database', '/home/simon/DatabaseClass.php');
$Blog     = new LazyLoadingProxy('Blog', '/var/www/classes/Blog.class.php5');

gistfile3.php

<?php
echo $Database->getTable(); // echo the name of the table

LazyLoadingProxy.php

<?php
/**
 * @author Simon Holywell <treffynnon@php.net>
 */
class LazyLoadingProxy {
    /**
     * Where the instance of the actual class is stored.
     * @var $instance object
     */
    private $instance = null;
    
    /**
     * The name of the class to load
     * @var $class_name string
     */
    private $class_name = null;
    
    /**
     * The path to the class to load
     * @var $class_path string
     */
    private $class_path = null;

    /**
     * Set the name of the class this LazyLoader should proxy
     * at the time of instantiation
     * @param $class_name string
     */
    public function __construct($class_name, $class_path = null) {
        $this->setClassName($class_name);
        $this->setClassPath($class_path);
    }

    public function setClassName($class_name) {
        if(null !== $class_name) {
            $this->class_name = $class_name;
        }
    }

    public function getClassName() {
        return $this->class_name;
    }

    public function setClassPath($class_path) {
        if(null !== $class_path) {
            $this->class_path = $class_path;
        }
    }

    public function getClassPath() {
        return $this->class_path;
    }

    /**
     * Get the instance of the class this LazyLoader is proxying.
     * If the instance does not already exist then it is initialised.
     * @return object An instance of the class this LazyLoader is proxying
     */
    public function getInstance() {
        if(null === $this->instance) {
            $this->instance = $this->initInstance();
        }
        return $this->instance;
    }

    /**
     * Load an instance of the class that is being proxied.
     * @return object An instance of the class this LazyLoader is proxying
     */
    private function initInstance() {
        Logger::log('Loaded: ' . $class_name);
        require_once($this->class_path);
        $class_name = $this->class_name;
        return new $class_name();
    }

    /**
     * Magic Method to call functions on the class that is being proxied.
     * @return mixed Whatever the requested method would normally return
     */
    public function __call($name, $arguments) {
        $instance = $this->getInstance();
        Logger::log('Called: ' . $this->class_name . '->' . $name . '(' . print_r($arguments, true) . ');');
        return call_user_func_array(
                array($instance, $name),
                $arguments
            );
    }

    /**
     * These are the standard PHP Magic Methods to access
     * the class properties of the class that is being proxied.
     */
    public function __get($name) {
        Logger::log('Getting property: ' . $this->class_name . '->' . $name);
        return $this->getInstance()->$name;
    }

    public function __set($name, $value) {
        Logger::log('Setting property: ' . $this->class_name . '->' . $name);
        $this->getInstance()->$name = $value;
    }

    public function __isset($name) {
        Logger::log('Checking isset for property: ' . $this->class_name . '->' . $name);
        return isset($this->getInstance()->$name);
    }

    public function __unset($name) {
        Logger::log('Unsetting property: ' . $this->class_name . '->' . $name);
        unset($this->getInstance()->$name);
    }
}