$this->variable = $variable? Why assign?

[Pain]

Im having trouble understanding the point of assigning certain values to certain variables within the class.

 

Say we have

 

<?php
 
class MyClass {
public $variable;
 
public function getVariable($variable) {
$this->variable = $variable; 
}
 
}

Why assign the value of $variable to $this->variable instead of simply using $variable which has been passed as an argument?

 

Thanks:)

 

[Jessica]

To use it later.

 

I suggest you do some reading on OOP. Find a book and go through it.

[Barand]

$variable is available only inside that method, Read up on variable scope.

 

$this->variable is available to other methods throughout the class, and (as it declared public) to other classes.

[Psycho]

I'll also add that the sample method you created above should be called setVariable(). A get method should be used to retrieve a propert - not set one.

[DHood]

class MyClass {
public $variable;
 public function setVariable($value) {
  $this->variable = $value;
}
public function getVariable($variable) {
 var_dump($this->variable);
 var_dump($variable);
}
 
}
$test = new MyClass;
$test->setVariable('test');
$test->getVariable();

 

Using setVariable like Psycho suggested, you'll see why you need to assign it to $this.