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Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2011 18:10:58 -0500
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Subject: Re: Patch: getters/setters syntax Implementation
From: rasmus@mindplay.dk (Rasmus Schultz)

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2011/12/4 Clint M Priest <cpriest@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?

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