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Thread-Topic: [PHP-DEV] Re: Patch: getters/setters syntax Implementation
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Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 03:23:52 +0000
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Subject: RE: [PHP-DEV] Re: Patch: getters/setters syntax Implementation
From: cpriest@zerocue.com (Clint M Priest)

I believe the attempt with the RFC was to mimic the syntax that C# went wit=
h, the RFC is here: https://wiki.php.net/rfc/propertygetsetsyntax

The first public would apply to either of the get/set which did not have it=
 further defined, for example:

public $Hours {
	get { ... }
	private set { ... }
}

Also, with automatic implementations (at present) the parent access level c=
ontrols the automatic property generation:

private $Hours {
	public get;
	public set;
}

Would define an internal variable of $__Hours as private.  Perhaps it shoul=
d always be a private internal variable, it was not designated in the rfc a=
nd I made it this way to be the most flexible for the author.

-----Original Message-----
From: Rasmus Schultz [mailto:rasmus@mindplay.dk]=20
Sent: Monday, December 05, 2011 5:11 PM
To: internals@lists.php.net
Subject: [PHP-DEV] Re: Patch: getters/setters syntax Implementation

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=20
> effectively
creates internal functions on the object and the system looks for those fun=
ctions and calls them at the appropriate time.
>
> Example:
> class z {
>        public $Hours {
>                        public get { return $this->_Hours; }
>                        protected set { $this->_Hours =3D $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 syn=
tax 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 =3D $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 =3D $hours; // local variable $hours is the new value, $value re=
ferences the backing field
  }
}

thoughts?