Posted by Jochem Maas on 01/20/05 00:15

Rory McKinley wrote:
> Hi All
>
> This is probably just a case of me being Mr Thicky, but maybe someone
> can point out the error mf my ways:
>
> I have two classes, call them admin and module. Admin stores login
> details as well as a pointer to the DB connection. Module will run
> various queries. To do that it needs access to the DB connection
> maintained by Admin. Because I don't want to have to keep on passing the
> reference to the admin instance, I thought I would store the reference
> to the admin instance within the module instance when the object is
> created:
>
> class Module
> {
> private $admin_instance;
>
> function __construct($admin_instance)
> {
> $this->admin_instance = $admin_instance;
> }
>
> public function checkConnection()
> {
> return $this->admin_instance->checkConnection()
> }
> }
>

I assume this is not your actual code (by the manner in which you wrote
above - '...,call them admin and...'). are you absolutely sure there is
not a typo somewhere? like 'adnin_instance' or 'admin_imstance'

you better off posting actual code snippets and removing sensitive data
(assuming your allowed.)

> I am using PHP 5 so the reference should be passed and stored in the
> relevant object attribute, not so?
>

correct :-) no. 1 benefit in php5 - proper objects.

> Yet, if i call checkConnection it tells me that I am calling a method on

can you call the checkConnection() method in the __construct() of Module?

> a non-object.print_r() of the module instance makes things even more
> confusing: print_r returns:
>
> [admin_instance:private] => [class_name] => blah [admin_instance] =>
> Admin Object
>
> which is followed by the various attributes of the admin object
> suggesting that the reference to the admin object is indeed within the
> module instance.
>
> I hope someone can help with this..

I do this kind of thing the whole time (references to parent,
application and subobjects - circular references not being a problem), I
can't see that your doing anything wrong. though there is not much code
to go on.

>
> Oh, and before anybody asks I am still busy RTFM, STFW, STFA but with no

good for you :-)

> joy so far.

bummer. post some more code ;-)

>

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