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Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 23:40:37 -0700
Organization: The Madfish Group
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Subject: call_user_func, static calls, and $this
From: tater@potatoe.com (Brad Bulger)

this is old subject everyone is tired of i'm sure. but since large changes
have been made to call_user_func[_array] recently, i want to confirm:

if an object calls one of its methods ($thing->foo()), any static-type 
method calls made inside there - self::a(), parent::a(), fezbar::a() -
will have $this defined, pointing to original calling object.
self:: and parent:: are always relative to the containing class,
regardless of this.

two exceptions:

- the method is declared as 'static'; if so, $this is never set

- the method is called via call_user_func or call_user_func_array;
   if so, $this is not set

the very last part seems like it *might* be a bug, or it might be a
decision - that call_user_func(array('class','function'),$arg)
will always force class::function() to behave as if declared statically.

that is a bit of a problem for self:: and parent:: but that is ok if it
is how it must be.

if anyone can say about this, it would be kind.

ps - i looked in old mail, sure this had been discussed - topic came up,
but nothing for sure, except introduction of 'static' to prevent $this,
which solves opposite problem :)