Question

I have a similar code snippet like this

class Search
{
    public function search($for, $regEx, $flag) //I would like this to be the constructor
    {
        // logic here
        return $this;
    }
}

Then I have another class that creates an object from it, later than tries to use the object.

class MyClass
{
    public function start()
    {
        $this->search = new Search();
    }

    public function load()
    {
        $this->search($for, $regEx, $flag);
    }
}

My question is, is it possible to create an object first THEN give it the parameters?

I know there are some way around this BUT I only ask because I want to use the object like this

$this->search($params);
// I have my methods chained, so I could use it in one line like
// $this->search($params)->hasResults();

if ($this->search->hasResults()) {
    echo 'found stuff';
} else {
    echo 'didn't find anything';
}

The way I have it set up right now, I would need to use it like this

$this->search->search($params);

if ($this->search->hasResults()) {
    echo 'found stuff';
} else {
    echo 'didn't find anything';
}

I have a method called search() that does the logic, and I don’t want to be redundant in my naming nor do I want to change the name of the method.

I know another way to keep the visual appeal sane I could pass a variable like so

$search = $this->search->search($params);

then

$search->hasResults();

At the same time I am trying to introduce myself to new OOP concepts and learn from them. Would this require passing things by reference? or setting up some type of magic method?

Answer 1

While the previous anwsers show that you can, I wouldn’t use it, because it breaks the concept of encapsulation. A proper way to achieve what you want is the following

class Search
{
  public function __constructor($for='', $regEx='', $flag='')
  {
      $this->Setup($for, $regEx, $flag);
  }

   public function Setup($for, $regEx, $flag)
    {
        //assign params
        //clear last result search

        //chain
        return $this;
    }

 public function search()
 {
    // logic here
    return $this;
 }
}

In this way, you can reuse the object and have the params in the constructor, without breaking encapsulation.