Question

Since PHP’s call_user_method() and call_user_method_array() are marked deprecated I’m wondering what alternative is recommended?

One way would be to use call_user_func(), because by giving an array with an object and a method name as the first argument does the same like the deprecated functions. Since this function is not marked deprecated I assume the reason isn’t the non-OOP-stylish usage of them?

The other way I can think of is using the Reflection API, which might be the most comfortable and future-oriented alternative. Nevertheless it’s more code and I could image that it’s slower than using the functions mentioned above.

What I’m interested in:

• Is there a completely new technique for calling an object’s methods by name?
• Which is the fastest/best/official replacement?
• What’s the reason for deprecation?

Answer 1

As you said call_user_func can easily duplicate the behavior of this function. What’s the problem?

The call_user_method page even lists it as the alternative:

<?php
call_user_func(array($obj, $method_name), $parameter /* , ... */);
call_user_func(array(&$obj, $method_name), $parameter /* , ... */); // PHP 4
?>

As far as to why this was deprecated, this posting explains it:

This is
because the call_user_method() and call_user_method_array() functions
can easily be duplicated by:

old way:
call_user_method($func, $obj, "method", "args", "go", "here");

new way:
call_user_func(array(&$obj, "method"), "method", "args", "go", "here");

Personally, I’d probably go with the variable variables suggestion posted by Chad.