Define Data-Type in Parameter?

[TomTees]

Is this proper PHP...

 

    function setHeat(Building $b) {

        $this->hotness = $b->getInsideHeat();

    }

 

That looks more like Java to me.  I thought you didn't define data-types anywhere in PHP?!

 

 

TomTees

 

[xyph]

You don't have to. Whether or not you can; I honestly have never tried, so I can't help you there

[the182guy]

Yes you can now do that (as of PHP5), but you don't have to. It's called Type Hinting and as you suggest it's basically a way of making sure an argument is of the type required. The type can be any class and it also works for an array.

 

If the variable given as the argument is not of the type required then it will produce a fatal error (which you can catch).

 

One of the advantages of type hinting is that the programmer can quickly see what type of object or array is coming into that function or needs to be passed in, thus making the code easier to read.

[TomTees]

Yes you can now do that (as of PHP5), but you don't have to. It's called Type Hinting and as you suggest it's basically a way of making sure an argument is of the type required. The type can be any class and it also works for an array.

 

If the variable given as the argument is not of the type required then it will produce a fatal error (which you can catch).

 

One of the advantages of type hinting is that the programmer can quickly see what type of object or array is coming into that function or needs to be passed in, thus making the code easier to read.

 

Why do they call it "Type Hinting" if using it makes the type mandatory?

 

Do you know Java or any other languages?

 

If so, is this the same as Java does, or is it still not as good?

 

I know that personally I've never been a fan of PHP being a "loosely-typed" language...  Maybe this improves that?! 

 

 

 

TomTees

 

 

[the182guy]

Yes I believe it is the same as Java does. I agree with you about the name, it probably should be called something more like 'type forcing'.