Question

I’m trying to create a method that will allow me to set properties within a class using the setVal() function, if the user is trying to set the value from outside the class without using the ‘forceSet’ function then it will throw an exception.

The problem is that its throwing an exception even if the $forceSet is true. If i set the property manually in the class to have private access then everything works fine, but this is not an option as I wish to be able to set various properties in this class dynamically.

class test
{
    private $_allowedCols = array('title', 'name', 'surname');

    public function __set($n,$v)
    {
        $this->setVal($n, $v);
    }

    public function setVal($name, $value, $forceSet=false)
    {
        if (!$forceSet && !in_array($this->_allowedCols, $name))
        {
            throw new Exception('cant set value');
        }
        $this->$name = $value;
    }
}

$b = new test;
$b->setVal('blah', 'test', true);
print_r($b);
exit;

What I want to be able to do is set all the values from a $_POST into properties in the object. I want to check against the $_allowedCols to make sure only values I want are being put into the object but sometimes I might want to force values in from the code that aren’t in the $_allowedCols.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

The hacks will work but it might be cleaner to use an internal array. Something like:

class test
{
    private $data = array();

    public function __set($n,$v)
    {
        if (isset($this->data[$n])) return $this->data[$n] = $v;

        throw new Exception('cant set value');
    }
    public function __get($n)
    {
        if (isset($this->data[$n])) return $this->data[$n];

        throw new Exception('cant retrieve value');
    }
    public function setVal($name, $value)
    {
        $this->data[$name] = $value;
    }
}

But if you want to stick with your approach then:

class test
{
    private $forceFlag = false;

    public function __set($name,$value)
    {
        if ($this->forceFlag) return $this->$name = $value;
        throw new Exception('cant set value');
    }
    public function setVal($name, $value)
    {
        $this->forceFlag = true;
        $this->$name = $value;
        $this->forceFlag = false;
    }
}