Skip to content
benjf.com
benjf.com

Real content from a human brain

  • Home
  • About
  • ✞ Faith
  • Opinion
    • Politics
    • Health
    • Movies
    • Music
    • ☺ For Fun
    • Random Awesomeness
  • Technology
    • Desktop
    • Android
    • ✉ Email
    • Privacy
    • Programming
      • HTML
      • CSS
      • Javascript
        • jQuery
      • PHP
      • SQL
        • SQL Server
      • Powershell
      • MS Access
      • WordPress
  • Productivity
benjf.com

Real content from a human brain

PHP Object Passing

Writer #1, 2010-04-16

Using objects in PHP doesn’t have to be a one-way-street. PHP objects are very similar to any other server side language in that they can run functions for you, return values, and perform just about any needed task that you can write, but they can also be passed around within a session.

If you program in JSP or .NET, you’ll be thinking “so what?” But if you only dabble in PHP you may not have ever tried this.

Serialize

The main requirement for passing objects is the “serialize” method.

A definition of serialize is: To convert an object into a sequence of bytes that can later be converted back into an object with equivalent properties

Basically, when you serialize an object, you are making it turn into a more tangible glob of information.

A parallel would be like this: someone’s spoken word is like unserialized data. If I write down their words on paper, it is like serializing it so that I can mail it somewhere else. When someone receives it they can read it aloud, thereby making it unserialized again.

The Code

First create a new class that you will be using to hold your data. Name the file db.php.
<?php
class DB{
    function __construct(){
        //optional
    }

    function SetX($value){
        $this->x = $value;
    }

    function GetX(){
        return $this->x;
    }
}
?>

One of the most important things to remember in this file is the usage of the keyword “this”. You must refer to your variables using $this->variableName. If you don’t then it will not affect the values that get serialized. It will only affect the values within the function and the values will disappear at the end of the function. If you want a value to persist then set it using $this->x and get it using $this->x.

Next, create the first page that will implement the class just made above. Call it test.php, if you want.

<?php
    session_start();
    // this is whatever you named the file above.
    include_once("db.php");
    // make an object out of it.
    $db = new DB();
    // call a function. This function sets a value within the object.
    $db->SetX(1000);
?>
<a href="test2.php"> Link to next page </a>
x = <?php echo $db->GetX(); ?>

<?php
   $_SESSION['db'] = serialize($db);
    // Just so you can see what it looks like:
    echo "<h4>Serialized Data</h4>";
    echo ( $_SESSION['db'] . "<hr>");
?>

Then create the second page that will be using the serialized object. Call it test2.php

<?php
    session_start();
    // required to include it again so it has a definition of the class
    include_once("db.php");
    // unserialize puts it back to a usable form
    $db = unserialize($_SESSION['db']);
?>
x =
<?php
    // call your getter function and the value is retained from the previous page
    echo $db->GetX();
?>

You’re Done!

Well, actually you’ve just begun. But that’s how it is done.

PHP Programming objectsphp

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Love Never Fails
  • FIXED! Left Audio Only on OBS with Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD
  • Gnome Alt+Tab Window Switching; How to ungroup the windows
  • Pay or else
  • 1Password App Integration With Browser Extension on Kubuntu (or Debian Linux)

Recent Comments

  1. LOL on Major Federal Budget Cuts – do the math
  2. Writer #1 on Online Privacy In The United States
  3. More About Sortable Dates; Plus AutoHotKey Scripts! – benjf.com on Date/Time Formatting Can Unite The World
  4. AutoHotKey Tips – benjf.com on Date/Time Formatting Can Unite The World
  5. Kevin on Moving FDLAUNCHERLOG in SQL Server

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • May 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • September 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • February 2018
  • December 2017
  • September 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • December 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • July 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009

Categories

  • Ai
  • Android
  • C#
  • CSS
  • Desktop
  • EMail
  • Faith
  • For Fun
  • Health
  • HTML
  • Javascript
  • jQuery
  • Just Info
  • Linux
  • Movies
  • MS Access
  • Music
  • Opinion
  • PHP
  • Politics
  • Powershell
  • Privacy
  • Productivity
  • Programming
  • Random Awesomeness
  • Self Hosting
  • SQL
  • SQL Server
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • WordPress
©2025 benjf.com | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes