what does -> mean?

[Reaper0167]

I was browsing around google and came across this script.    What does the -> stand for?

<?php
include_once ("usersOnline.class.php");
$visitors_online = new usersOnline();

if (count($visitors_online->error) == 0) {

if ($visitors_online->count_users() == 1) {
	echo "There is " . $visitors_online->count_users() . " visitor online";
}
else {
	echo "There are " . $visitors_online->count_users() . " visitors online";
}
}
else {
echo "<b>Users online class errors:</b><br /><ul>\r\n";
for ($i = 0; $i < count($visitors_online->error); $i ++ ) {
	echo "<li>" . $visitors_online->error[$i] . "</li>\r\n";
}
echo "</ul>\r\n";

}
?>

[trq]

The -> operator lets you access properties and methods of an object. In this example, $visitors_online is an object of the type usersOnline.

[Reaper0167]

So are there other ways to write that?

[trq]

No. Well, not exactly. You can access static methods via classname::methodname(), read more at oop.

[Reaper0167]

thanks.