OOP method

[ggalan]

i have a function here that works well


function count_repeat_values($needle, $haystack){
$x = count($haystack);
for($i = 0; $i < $x; $i++){

if($haystack[$i] == $needle){
$needle_array[] = $haystack[$i];
}
}
$number_of_instances = count($needle_array);
return $number_of_instances;
}

then to call it


echo count_repeat_values('a', $array);


i would like to turn this into a class for reusability and also i dont want to write this everytime i need it.
how would i go about this?
~a newb to OOP

like this?


class CountArrayValues
{

function count_repeat_values($needle, $haystack){
$x = count($haystack);
for($i = 0; $i < $x; $i++){

if($haystack[$i] == $needle){
$needle_array[] = $haystack[$i];
}
}
$number_of_instances = count($needle_array);
return $number_of_instances;
}

}

[ggalan]

this seems to work


require_once("CountArrayValues.php");
$count_array = new CountArrayValues();

then


$count_array->count_repeat_values($itm, $arr);

[ggalan]

but i have a class within a class
normally where would you put the include statement? like this on top?


OtherClass
{
require_once("CountArrayValues.php");
function myMethod(){

}
}

[traq]

a self-sufficient function like this doesn't need a class - it's just extra overhead.
there's nothing wrong with keeping utility functions like this around. simply define them once and use them whenever. :)
<?php

function count_repeat_values( $needle,$haystack ){ /* ... */ }

class SomeClass{
public function someFunction( $array ){
$item = 'key';
count_repeat_values( $item,$array );
// works just fine
// and you didn't have to instantiate a second object,
// or worry about scope
}
}

if you want to keep the global scope uncluttered, you can use a utility class (if you do, it's best to keep methods like this static (http://us.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.static.php)) or put them in their own namespace (http://us.php.net/manual/en/language.namespaces.php).

[ggalan]

i see, so you recommend placing 'count_repeat_values' above 'SomeClass' in the same file? should i name it static function?


static function count_repeat_values( $needle,$haystack ){ /* ... */ }

[ggalan]

so i changed this to static function but i seem to be having a problem accessing it.



<?php

static function count_repeat_values( $needle,$haystack ){ /* ... */ }

class SomeClass{
public function someFunction( $array ){
$item = 'key';
$num = count_repeat_values( $item,$array );
}
}



NM, forgot the class name




<?php
class SomeClass
{
static function count_repeat_values( $needle,$haystack ){ /* ... */ }

public function someFunction( $array ){
$item = 'key';
$num = SomeClass::count_repeat_values( $item,$array );
}
}

[traq]

In your first example:


<?php

// incorrect:
// static function count_repeat_values( $needle,$haystack ){ /* ... */ }
// correct:
function count_repeat_values( $needle,$haystack ){ /* ... */ }

class SomeClass{
public function someFunction( $array ){
$item = 'key';
$num = count_repeat_values( $item,$array );
// now it should work just fine
}
}

in your second example:


<?php

// this works just fine also.
// however:
/*
Is the function used anywhere else, outside of this class?
if so, it would be fine to define it in the global scope (as in the example above).
I think it makes more sense that way.
It doesn't _have_ to be object-oriented if there's no real reason for it to be.
*/

class SomeClass
{
static function count_repeat_values( $needle,$haystack ){ /* ... */ }

public function someFunction( $array ){
$item = 'key';
$num = SomeClass::count_repeat_values( $item,$array );
}
}