OOP "set" functions

[moon 111]

First off, I am a total novice to OOP. I read somewhere that instead of simply writing

 

$object->variable = "Something";

 

you should write a function in the class like so:

 

function set_variable($data)
{
   $this->variable = $data;
}

 

and call that instead. Is this true? Why?

[moon 111]

*bump*?

[rhasan_82]

This actually depends on what you want to do.  Yeah, I also prefer the second one. Think for a code like this

class A {
public $var;
function set_var ( $data) {
    $this -> var = $data;
}
}

You can simply call the function like

$obj -> set_var ( $val ) ;

 

Later you changed your mind to write the set function like this

function set_var ( $data) {
   if ( $data)
     $this -> var = $data;
   // or $this -> var = $data * 10;
}

 

So though the internal structure of set function has changed, still your calling code will be the same as before and you don't need to change it.

But with

$object->variable = "Something";

you have to change each place you set the value.