using require_once in a loop

[combitz]

I  am looping through an array of objects, but for the example below I've just made it a simple array for clarity. Each item may or may not be the same value but I want each item to call the same function name but with a different response to the item that gets built/output.

 

What I've done is created a different file to include (or require) based on the type of item but I keep getting errors with the second iteration, can anyone point me in the right direction.

 

my simple loop

$animals = Array('dog', 'cat', 'bird');        
        foreach($animals as $a){
            require_once("./includes/".$a.".php");
            echo"animal = ".$a." says ".speak()."<br />";
        }

 

an example of the dog.php include file

function speak(){
        return "woof";
}

 

I want to call the speak function relative to the type of animal

 

I get the error:

animal = dog says woof

 

Fatal error: Cannot redeclare speak() (previously declared in C:\wamp\www\tests\includes\dog.php:7) in C:\wamp\www\tests\includes\cat.php on line 8

 

any help is appreciated

 

thanks

[Jibberish]

Its because the functions called the same thing in all the files I imagen.

 

You could just use a case statement

 

<?php
function speak($animal) {

switch($animal) {
    case 'dog':
		echo 'woof';
		break;

	case 'cat':
		echo 'meow';
		break
	//etc
}
}


$animals = Array('dog', 'cat', 'bird');       

foreach($animals as $a){

echo"animal = ".$a." says ".speak($a)."<br />";
}

?>

[combitz]

I can't do that as it is working with someone elses code and I just need the results from the items they build. The problem is I can't call their functions without the correct require_once files.

 

If it helps anyone in understanding what I'm trying to do, I'm trying to develop a scorm plugin for Moodle at moodle.org and they use different include files based on a value in the object type, (E.G. $object->[version_no]->1_3 would include the file mon/scorm/include/lib1_3.php which includes the methods to create and return the data I need)

 

I don't think its a Moodle issue but more a coding style or lack of my code skills

 

cheers

[dzelenika]

I suppose that every include file have your own fuction speak().

You cannot have multiple times include function with same name.

Anyhow I think your access to this problem solving is wrong.

[combitz]

Yes, each include file has a function speak()

 

The current code uses this method in Moodle and it works well, until I try to make my own function to loop through my items.

 

it reminds me of polymorphism but I don't understand how php 5 deals with it.

[Daniel0]

The thing is that:

 

test1.php

<?php
echo 'foo';

test2.php

<?php
require 'test1.php';
echo 'bar';

 

Is the same as doing:

<?php
echo 'foo';
echo 'bar';

 

So you can't do like

<?php
function speak() { /* do something */ }
function speak() { /* do something else */ }

speak();

 

 

This is exactly why putting things in the global namespace is a bad idea, and why the namespaces support in PHP 5.3 (due to be released next Tuesday) is much awaited.

[Skepsis]

You would have to use classes.

 

Each file you include, make it a class instead of just a function, you could do:

// file - dog.php
class dog {
  var $name = 'dog';
     function speak()
     {
          return $this->name.' Says Woof';
     }
}
// file - bird.php
class bird {
  var $name = 'bird';
      function speak()
      {
           return $this->name.' Says Chirp';
      }
}

// then you would have:

$animals = Array('dog', 'cat', 'bird');        

foreach($animals as $a)
{
        if(file_exists(includes/($a}.php"))
        {
            require_once("includes/".$a.".php");
                 $doityourself            = new $a;
                    echo "animal  ".$a." says ".$doityourself->speak()."<br />";
        }
}

 

I think this would solve your problem.