PHP Array Refactor to Object

Question

I have a really GIANT array in legacy code. like 500k+ from db entries. It gets populatet once on user login. The global user array so to speak.

Now I got the unthankfull quest to refacture thisbad boy.

the array is a 1 dimensional assighned array like

 $data['username'] = 'idiots'; ( and tons of other values)

Now i want to refacture this in a object wich would call the value from the DB only when i really need it. My idea was to replace the array assighnment part with an object.

So where $user = array(); I want user $user = new user();

Is there any known way to acess a class function so i can acess its propertys via the $user['name'] so it gets passed to the __get method?

I know it is a tall order, and it is probably imposible. But il ask anyway :)

georg · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-21 12:25:02Z

2

One way is to make a class that implements ArrayAccess and put your lazy loading logic into offsetGet:

class User implements ArrayAccess {
    private $cache = array();

    public function offsetSet($key, $value) {
        throw new Exception("Read-only!");
    }

    public function offsetUnset($key) {
        throw new Exception("Read-only!");
    }

    public function offsetExists($key) {
        // consult the DB schema and return true if the `key` makes sense
    }

    public function offsetGet($key) {
        if(!isset($this->cache[$key])) {
            // load stuff from the DB
            $this->cache[$key] = ...;
        }
        return $this->cache[$key];
    }
}

$u = new User();
print $u['name'];

edited Jan 21, 2015 at 12:25

answered Jan 21, 2015 at 12:13

georg

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Comments

James Lockhart · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-21 12:21:30Z

There are two alternatives to this. The first being the traditional :

<?php

/**
 * @see http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.overloading.php#object.call
 */
class User
{
    protected $data = array();

    /**
     * @see http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.overloading.php#object.get
     */
    public function __get( $name )
    {
        echo "Getting $name " . PHP_EOL;
        return $this->data[ $name ];
    }

    /**
     * @see http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.overloading.php#object.set
     */
    public function __set( $name, $value )
    {
        echo "Setting $name to $value " . PHP_EOL;
        $this->data[ $name ] = $value;
    }
}

$user = new User();
$user->a = 'Example';

echo $user->a;

The second is using the PHP SPL interface ArrayAccess which allows an object to get and set like a PHP Assocative Array :

<?php

/**
 * @see http://php.net/manual/en/class.arrayaccess.php
 */
class User implements ArrayAccess
{
    protected $data = array();

    /**
     * @see http://php.net/manual/en/arrayaccess.offsetexists.php
     */
    public function offsetSet( $key, $value )
    {
        echo "Setting $name to $value " . PHP_EOL;
        if( empty( $offset ) )
        {
            $this->data []= $value;
        }
        else
        {
            $this->data[ $key ] = $value;
        }
    }

    /**
     * @see http://php.net/manual/en/arrayaccess.offsetget.php
     */
    public function offsetExists( $key )
    {
        return isset( $this->container[ $key ] );
    }

    /**
     * @see http://php.net/manual/en/arrayaccess.offsetunset.php
     */
    public function offsetUnset( $key )
    {
        unset( $this->data[ $key ] );
    }

    /**
     * @see http://php.net/manual/en/arrayaccess.offsetset.php
     */
    public function offsetGet($offset)
    {
        echo "Getting $name " . PHP_EOL;

        if( $this->offsetExists( $key ) )
        {
            return $this->data[ $key ];
        }

        return null;
    }
}

$user = new User();
$user->[ 'a' ] = 'Example';

echo $user->[ 'a' ];

Dmitry G · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-21 12:14:16Z

0

$data['username'] = 'idiots';
$data = (object) $data;
echo $data->username; // prints 'idiots'

answered Jan 21, 2015 at 12:14

Dmitry G

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2 Comments

Sangoku Over a year ago

wrong way around dude :) i have in legacy code in over milions acessors via $data['username'] that is my problem.

BadHorsie Over a year ago

This requires that you still retrieve 500k values first.

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