2011/12/4 Clint M Priest <cpri...@zerocue.com>: > Updated patch w/o white-space: http://www.clintpriest.com/patches/accessors_v1.patch > > In the end it is a relatively simple patch. The new syntax effectively creates internal functions on the object and the system looks for those functions and calls them at the appropriate time. > > Example: > class z { > public $Hours { > public get { return $this->_Hours; } > protected set { $this->_Hours = $value; } > } > } > > Defines: > $o->__getHours(); > $o->__setHours($value);
You forgot to declare the backing field z::$_Hours in this example. >From a semantic point of view, I find it misleading to first declare $Hours as public, then lowering the bar by making the set-accessor protected. The most common use-case for accessors is public - so I would suggest a syntax more along the lines of this: class z { private $_hours; get $hours { // accessor is public by default return $this->_hours; } protected set $hours { $this->_hours = $hours; // local variable $hours is the new value } } And perhaps a short form for added convenience, where the backing-field is automatically added for you - e.g.: class z { get $hours { // accessor is public by default return $value; // $value provides access to the backing field (same way $this provides access to the object context) } protected set $hours { $value = $hours; // local variable $hours is the new value, $value references the backing field } } thoughts?