clearer post to method/property/class problem - help appreciated

<?
class ErrorMsgCollection {

var $name;
var $mandatory;
var $emptyErr;
var $maxLength;
var $maxLengthErr;
var $minLength;
var $minLenghtErr;
var $pattern;
var $patternErr;
var $arrayMandatoryAmountType;
var $validArrayErr;
var $isAssoc;
var $erroredArrayAssocIndexArray;



function ErrorMsgCollection() {
$this->name = '';
$this->arrayMandatoryAmountType = ''; // DEFAULT TO NULL
$this->validArrayErr = $emptyErr; // DEFAULT TO SAME ERROR MSG AS
EMPTY ERR MSG
$this->assocIndex = 0; // DEFAULT TO 0 WILL BE USED AS INDEX KEY FOR
CONVERTING ERR ARRAY (IF INDICATED) TO ASSOCIATIVE
$this->erroredArrayAssocIndexArray = array();
return true;
}

function getErroredArrayAssocIndex($key) {
return $this->erroredArrayAssocIndexArray[$key];
}


function getEmptyErr() {
if ($this->getIsAssoc()) return $this->emptyErr . '~IsAssoc~' .
str_replace('~', '~',
$this->getErroredArrayAssocIndex($this->name));
return $this->emptyErr;
}

function getIsAssoc() {
return $this->isAssoc;
}

function getMandatory() {
return $this->mandatory;
}

function getMaxLength() {
return $this->maxLength;
}

function getMaxLengthErr() {
if ($this->getIsAssoc()) return $this->emptyErr . '~IsAssoc~' .
str_replace('~', '~',
$this->getErroredArrayAssocIndex($this->name));
return $this->maxLengthErr;
}

function getMinLength() {
return $this->minLength;
}

function getMinLengthErr() {
if ($this->getIsAssoc()) return $this->emptyErr . '~IsAssoc~' .
str_replace('~', '~',
$this->getErroredArrayAssocIndex($this->name));
return $this->minLengthErr;
}

function getName() {
return $this->name;
}

function getPattern() {
return $this->pattern;
}

function getPatternErr() {
if ($this->getIsAssoc()) return $this->emptyErr . '~IsAssoc~' .
str_replace('~', '~',
$this->getErroredArrayAssocIndex($this->name));
return $this->patternErr;
}

function getValidArray() {
return $this->arrayMandatoryAmountType;
}

function getValidArrayErr() {
if ($this->getIsAssoc()) return $this->emptyErr . '~IsAssoc~' .
str_replace('~', '~',
$this->getErroredArrayAssocIndex($this->name));
return $this->validArrayErr;
}

function setErroredArrayAssocIndex($arrayName, $assocIndex) {
$this->erroredArrayAssocIndexArray =
$this->erroredArrayAssocIndexArray + array($arrayName => $assocIndex);
}

function setIsAssoc($isAssoc) {
$this->isAssoc = $isAssoc;
}


function setMandatory($mandatory,$emptyErr) {
$this->mandatory = $mandatory;
$this->emptyErr = $emptyErr;
}

function setMaxLength($maxLength,$maxLengthErr) {
$this->maxLength = $maxLength;
$this->maxLengthErr = $maxLengthErr;
}

function setMinLength($minLength,$minLengthErr) {
$this->minLength = $minLength;
$this->minLengthErr = $minLengthErr;
}

function setName($name) {
$this->name = $name;
}

function setPattern($pattern,$patternErr) {
$this->pattern = $pattern;
$this->patternErr = $patternErr;
}

function setValidArray($arrayMandatoryAmountType,$validArra yErr) {
$this->arrayMandatoryAmountType = $arrayMandatoryAmountType;
$this->validArrayErr = $validArrayErr;
}
}

class FormValidator {

// $errormsgObjArray WILL BE AN ARRAY OF ErrorMsgCollection OBJECTS

var $validator, $errors, $isValid;
var $post, $errorMsgObjArray, $dateFormFieldsArray;

function FormValidator($post, $errorMsgObjArray, $dateFormFieldsArray
= array()) {
$this->validator = null;
$this->errors = array();
$this->isValid = true;
$this->post = $post;
$this->errorMsgObjArray =& $errorMsgObjArray;
$this->dateFormFieldsArray = $dateFormFieldsArray;
}

function getErrorArray() {
return $this->errors;
}

function isValid() {
foreach ($this->errorMsgObjArray as $key => $val) {
print_r(get_class_methods($val)); print_r("<P>");
print_r($val->name . "<P>");
print_r($val->getName() . "<P>");
}
return $this->isValid;
}

}
?>

The first print_r works, it produces an array of methods including
"getName".

The second print_r works, it produces the value of $val->name being
"Whatever" or something.

The third print_r fails, and here is the error:

Fatal error: Call to a member function on a non-object in
/var/www/html/development/phillip/libdev/formvalidation.inc on line
150

I am totally baffled as to this behavior because it makes absolutely
no sense to me, no matter what I have read about classes, this makes
no sense at all. How can a class object suddenly NOT become an object
by the next line?

Phil

Hi Phil!

(...)
>
> function isValid() {
> foreach ($this->errorMsgObjArray as $key => $val) {
> print_r(get_class_methods($val)); print_r("<P>");
> print_r($val->name . "<P>");
> print_r($val->getName() . "<P>");
> }
> return $this->isValid;
> }
>
> }
>?>
>
>The first print_r works, it produces an array of methods including
>"getName".
>
>The second print_r works, it produces the value of $val->name being
>"Whatever" or something.
>
>The third print_r fails, and here is the error:
>
>Fatal error: Call to a member function on a non-object in
>/var/www/html/development/phillip/libdev/formvalidation.inc on line
>150
>
>I am totally baffled as to this behavior because it makes absolutely
>no sense to me, no matter what I have read about classes, this makes
>no sense at all. How can a class object suddenly NOT become an object
>by the next line?

It doesn't have to be an object in the second line. If it is not
defined at this point, PHP will create one with name as a property.

Try

error-reporting(E_ALL);, this may give you an undefined property on
the second one.

And print_r ($val);


HTH ,jochen
--
Jochen Daum - CANS Ltd.
PHP DB Edit Toolkit -- PHP scripts for building
database editing interfaces.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpdbedittk/