Call a method inside an array in PHP

Question

I want to call a method inside an array (in a class) in PHP :

const emtpy= "Please correct %s";
...
$myArray= array(
    '1'=>'myvalue',
    '2'=> printf(self::emtpy,'user')
);

However, Eclipse returns an error for the first bracket of the called method.

syntax error, unexpected '(', expecting ')

Has someone any ideas ? Thank you !

possible duplicate of [(Supposedly) simple PHP syntax error](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9225632/supposedly-simple-php-syntax-error) — deceze, Feb 13 '12 at 02:51

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 13 '12 at 03:05

2

You cant use expressions like that when defining class members - they need to be static values. If you need to assign defaults based on constants, functions, etc. then you need to do that in the constructor.

answered Feb 13 '12 at 03:05

prodigitalson

60,050
10
100
114

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 13 '12 at 02:53

1

You are looking for anonymous functions (they are available just since php 5.3.0), but example of what you need is:

$myArray = array(
    '1' => 'myvalue',
    '2' => function(){printf( class_name::empty, 'user'); }
);

You should rather use callback whenever possible:

$myArray = array(
    '1' => 'myvalue',
    '2' => array( $this, 'myCallback')
);

answered Feb 13 '12 at 02:53

Vyktor

20,559
6
64
96

Thank you.My php version is 5.3.8 but it sound like a cannot use anonymous functions. --syntax error, unexpected 'function' (I have tried with your code) – johann Feb 13 '12 at 03:26

busypeoples · Answer 3 · 2012-02-13T07:30:49.263

1

you could try using array_map.

try out this class:

class CallbackArrayClass {

  public static $empty;

  public static function callback($a) {
    self::$empty =  printf("please enter your name %s", $a);
  }

  public function initArray() {
    $myArray= array(
      '1'=>'myvalue',
      '2'=> array_map("self::callback", array('user'))
    );
  }

}

$c = new CallBackArrayClass();
$c->initArray();

http://php.net/manual/en/function.array-map.php

function callback($a) {
  return printf("please enter your name %s", $a);
}

$myArray= array(
    '1'=>'myvalue',
    '2'=> array_map('callback', array('user'))
);

edited Feb 13 '12 at 07:30

answered Feb 13 '12 at 06:19

busypeoples

737
3
6

I have tried with your code, but....-syntax error, unexpected '(', expecting ')'- :-( – johann Feb 13 '12 at 07:12
i will quickly write a class and see what happens. – busypeoples Feb 13 '12 at 07:24

summea · Answer 4 · 2012-02-13T16:25:28.017

0

I don't think you can use a constant like that for the format string for printf(). Try it without the const... make that emtpy (spelling) const a $variable.

EDIT:

Here is what I meant... though, the callback idea is not a bad idea.

$empty = "Please correct %";

$myArray = array(
  '1' => 'myvalue',
  '2' => printf($empty, 'user')
);

echo $myArray[2];

edited Feb 13 '12 at 16:25

answered Feb 13 '12 at 02:51

summea

7,390
4
32
48

I think error is not from the const. I have to use an anonymous function, but it does not work. – johann Feb 13 '12 at 04:47
Have you tried putting in a regular scalar variable instead of the const, just to check? I tried it in some dummy code... and it seemed to take away the error on my test, at least. @prodigitalson has some good advice, below, as well about constructors. – summea Feb 13 '12 at 04:58
I tried with ` 'message' => function(){printf( 'Please correct %s', 'user');},` just to check, but error is still here... Thank you for helping me ~ – johann Feb 13 '12 at 05:57
No problem; I guess what I meant was... have you tried taking out the `const` keyword, and just making `$emtpy` a regular variable? – summea Feb 13 '12 at 06:06
I took out the const and use a regular variable for "empty" but problem persists...[syntax error, unexpected 'function'] doesn't disappear. – johann Feb 13 '12 at 06:24
I edited my code example above... does something like that work for you? It worked in my test, at least. – summea Feb 13 '12 at 16:25

Call a method inside an array in PHP

4 Answers4