Do not confuse php's version of properties with properties in other languages (C++ for example). In php, properties are the same as attributes, simple variables without functionality. They should be called attributes, not properties.
Properties have implicit accessor and mutator functionality. I've created an abstract class that allows implicit property functionality.
<?php
abstract class PropertyObject
{
public function __get($name)
{
if (method_exists($this, ($method = 'get_'.$name)))
{
return $this->$method();
}
else return;
}
public function __isset($name)
{
if (method_exists($this, ($method = 'isset_'.$name)))
{
return $this->$method();
}
else return;
}
public function __set($name, $value)
{
if (method_exists($this, ($method = 'set_'.$name)))
{
$this->$method($value);
}
}
public function __unset($name)
{
if (method_exists($this, ($method = 'unset_'.$name)))
{
$this->$method();
}
}
}
?>
after extending this class, you can create accessors and mutators that will be called automagically, using php's magic methods, when the corresponding property is accessed.
