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Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 08:58:24 -0500
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Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=14dae93994af333afc04b36cd4f7
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Re: Patch: getters/setters syntax Implementation
From: rasmus@mindplay.dk (Rasmus Schultz)

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On Tue, Dec 6, 2011 at 3:45 AM, Christian Kaps <christian.kaps@mohiva.com>wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I also find this syntax confusing and I think it has a huge WTF factor.
>
> Some thoughts about the syntax:
> - At the first glance, it isn't clear which visibility the getter or
> setter has
> - The extra indentation level makes the code more unreadable
>
> class Foo {
>
>    /**
>     *
>     */
>    private $_bar;
>
>    /**
>     *
>     */
>    public $bar{
>
>        /**
>         *
>         */
>        set {
>            if ($bar) {
>                $this->_bar = $bar * 12;
>            } else {
>                $this->_bar = 0
>            }
>        }
>
>        /**
>         *
>         */
>        private set {
>            if ($this->_bar === null) {
>                return 0;
>            }
>
>            return $this->_bar;
>        }
>    }
>
>    /**
>     *
>     */
>    public function baz() {
>
>    }
> }
>
> - What about type hints?
>
> I prefer a more AS3 like getter and setter syntax.
> http://help.adobe.com/en_US/**ActionScript/3.0_**ProgrammingAS3/**
> WS5b3ccc516d4fbf351e63e3d118a9**b90204-7f30.html#**
> WS5b3ccc516d4fbf351e63e3d118a9**b90204-7fcb<http://help.adobe.com/en_US/ActionScript/3.0_ProgrammingAS3/WS5b3ccc516d4fbf351e63e3d118a9b90204-7f30.html#WS5b3ccc516d4fbf351e63e3d118a9b90204-7fcb>
>
> Have you read my previous mail http://news.php.net/php.**internals/56762<http://news.php.net/php.internals/56762>
> .
> I think this syntax fits more to PHP because its similar to the already
> existing(magic) getter and setter syntax.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Christian
>

I agree with all of those points - the extra indentation looks messy, and
yes, type hints are important. It does fit better with PHP in general.

It would be nice to also have support for automatic backing fields in
addition though - so something simple like this:

class BlogPost
{
    private $_author;

    public get author()
    {
        return $this->_author;
    }

    public set author(Person $value)
    {
        $this->_author = $value;
    }
}

Could be written like this:

class BlogPost
{
    public Person $author;
}

Effectively, this shorthand syntax just gives you type-safe properties -
but it refactors nicely, since you can replace it with a full
implementation of a backing field at any point.

(on second thought, I don't like the idea I suggested before - adding a
magical $value in accessors, similar to $this - it's confusing and it's
going to look like an undeclared local variable...)

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