CODEWITHSUNDEEP
phpcodeignitervariables
Roman
Roman

Reputation: 3749

$this->var or $var

I just started using OOP / CodeIgniter. I want to get assign the form input to variables. I wonder which one I should use $this -> var or $var and how they differ from each other? Thanks.

For example 

$agree = $this -> input -> post( 'agree' );

OR

$this -> agree = $this -> input -> post( 'agree' );

Both will work fine like:

if ($agree) { }

OR

if ($this -> agree){ }

Thanks

Upvotes: 1

Views: 3524

Answers (7)

Abs
Abs

Reputation: 57926

If you use $this->var then you are referring to a class variable. If you are assigning it to just $var then you are referring to a local variable. I am gussing you need to make use of the following if you don't need the form values to be available to other methods:

$agree = $this->input->post('agree');

Upvotes: 1

danneth
danneth

Reputation: 2791

It's a matter of scope

<?php
    class Example extends CI_Controller
    {
        private $agree1;

        public function __construct()
        {
            parent::__construct();
        }

        public function index()
        {
            $agree2 = $this->input->post( 'agree' );
            $this->agree1 = $this->input->post( 'agree' );

            // within this context both are accessable
            // these will print the same
            var_dump($agree2);
            var_dump($this->agree1);

            // call the helper function
            $this->helper();
        }

        private function helper()
        {
            // within this context $agree2 is not defined
            // these will NOT print the same. Only the 2nd will print the content of the post
            var_dump($agree2);
            var_dump($this->agree1);
        }
    }
?>

Upvotes: 2

tradyblix
tradyblix

Reputation: 7569

$this->agree) if you're going to use it in other functions of the class, $agree if using it within the current scope, meaning inside the function making it a local variable only.

Upvotes: 0

Ondřej Mirtes
Ondřej Mirtes

Reputation: 5626

It depends on whether you want to set a local variable or an object variable.

You should have your object variable declared at the beginning of the class (e.g. private $var) - they are accessible from different methods across the class.

Local variable is accessible only in the scope of current method.

Upvotes: 1

JohnP
JohnP

Reputation: 50019

I'm assuming that you're talking about what to use inside a controller/action pair?

$this->var actually refers to a property of your controller class named var.

$var means that it's a locally (function) scoped variable

If you do not specifically want to access a class property, don't use $this. Just use $var and have it accessible only within the scope of the function.

If you are actually referring to a class property and you want this property to be acessible by all methods in your class, make sure you declare it in your class definition on top.

Upvotes: 2

ZoFreX
ZoFreX

Reputation: 8920

This is really a matter of preference when it comes to extra local variables. As general guidance, I would use $var if the variable is only pertinent to the method, and $this->var if it makes sense for other methods to use this variable too.

If you are just collecting the input and handling it in that method, I would just use a local variable. Class members are normally used for things relevant to the class/object, for example a class representing a vehicle might have a $number_of_wheels variable.

Upvotes: 2

kirb
kirb

Reputation: 2049

I think only $this->agree works, however, I have not tested this.

Ad@m

Upvotes: -2

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