Question

This is a very straightforward question that doesn’t appear to be directly addressed at php.com – at least from looking through that section.

In any case, I have a class here with a specific function:

class CheckOut extends DB_MySQL{

public $fName;
public $lName;
public $numberOut;
public $p_id;

    /.../

    protected function publisherCheck($lName, $fName)
    {
        $this->lName = $lName;
        $this->fName = $fName;

        //Execute test
        $this->checkConnect();
        $stmt = $this->dbh->prepare("SELECT p_id FROM People WHERE lastName = :param1 AND firstName = :param2");
        $stmt->bindParam(':param1', $this->lName);
        $stmt->bindParam(':param2', $this->fName);
        $stmt->execute();

        //Determine value of test
        if($stmt == FALSE)
        {
            return FALSE;
        }
        else
        {
            $p_id = $stmt->fetch();
        }

    }

Just ignore the fact that there is no constructor posted with missing functions, etc. They’re in this class – just not pertinent to my question.

Will setting $p_id in the last statement affect the variable declared initially in the header of the class? Essentially, will it be global within the class?

Any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

Nope, it won’t. You always need $this-> to tell PHP you’re talking about the class properties, not local variables.

// Always assignment of a local variable.
$p_id = $stmt->fetch();

// Always assignment of a class property.
$this->p_id = $stmt->fetch();