Beginning OO PHP..Create User Class query

[tmfl]

Hi,

 

I've always used PHP code in my websites in a procedural manner as I come from a html/css background. Now that I want to do projects with more complexity I'm thinking I need to approach development in a more Object Oriented fashion.

 

My question is more a theoretical one. I'm creating a User class and I'm not sure on what is the best practise for putting my functions etc. and where to call them.

 

My project will have 2 different users (Admin & End User) so is it correct to say that the User class should encapsulate all the functions of both of these users ? By that I mean create/delete/modify user, login & change password/forgotten password functionality rather than having a seperate Login class

 

Should I only call the database functions within these methods of the user class as opposed to calling them on the php page where the form data is posted ?

 

For example, if a user logins in and when the form data is posted I currently open a connection, validate data, run the query.

In an OO approach would I have just one User class method thats relevant to a particular page functionality ?

Say, in pseudo code, for handling a login request

 

loginRequest.php

include User class

try {
create new user User();
User::login();
}
catch Exception()

 

and should my User class look something like this

 

class.User.php

include DBase class

class User {
var name,
var email,
var password,

function validateInput (email, password) {
     if (!valid input)
         throw Exception
    else
       return true
}

function login (email, password){
    try {
       database connection
       validateInput();
       sql to see if user exists and login
       
   }
   catch Exception
}

}

 

Apologies for this being a bit long winded!

 

thanks

 

tmfl

[beegro]

For the most part, I think your OO approach is correct.  However, I would probably break the validation of the form data out from the class.  In short, handle validation of form data in a PHP page/script and handle argument validation within the class.  This will allow you to send appropriate messages back to the browser for missing/mal-formed/incomplete form entries while your classes manage their attributes and arguments as if they come from a script. 

[KevinM1]

You also may want to separate out the login functionality as well, depending on what logging in actually entails, and how smart you want your User object to be.  A classic scenario is for a Login object, or a full-fledged User Manager object responsible for User CRUD, to return a populated User object.

 

But yes, form validation has nothing to do with a User and should be a separate mechanism.

[tmfl]

Thanks for the replies.

 

So you're saying there is no real requirement for a validation class  ? I should just validate the form variables before I pass to the User object login method ?

 

I'm still a bit confused over what the constructor will do too....if I use this class to create a user it will have maybe 3 or more parameters but when a user logs in  it will have only 2.....

eg.

 

What should I do when I'm declaring the constructor in this situation ?

 

Many thanks in advance for anyone providing help here....