Chaining Class Method Calls (aka Ganging)

Hello,

I am having problems chaining functions which return objects like this
example:

echo $thisDog->owner()->name();

or

echo $thisDog->owner()->legs;

I get the following error: unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR, expecting ',' or
';'

The example code more or less sums up what I am up to internally. Any
suggestions as to where my syntax is wrong?

I have verified via print_r() that I have the objects I think I do being
returned.

TIA

jg


class Dog extends Mammal {
function owner() {
$ownerObject = new Owner;
$owner = $ownerObject ->yatayata (); // this is a db record
which is objectified into a bona fide Owner object
return $owner;
}
}

class Owner extends Mammal {
var $legs = 2;
function name() {
return $whatever;
}
}


$dogObj = new Dog;
$thisDog = $dpgObject->retrieve("id = '1'");
echo $thisDog->owner()->name();

On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 13:37:48 -0600, "jerrygarciuh"
<designs@no.spam.nolaflash.com> wrote:

>I am having problems chaining functions which return objects like this
>example:
>
>echo $thisDog->owner()->name();

Unfortunately, that only works in PHP 5. PHP 4 chokes with the errors you
posted.

In PHP 4 you have to (a) use a temporary and (b) make sure you don't trip up
on PHP 4's nasty assign-object-by-copy semantics; assign by reference:

$owner =& $thisDog->owner();
echo $owner->name();

--
Andy Hassall / <andy@andyh.co.uk> / <http://www.andyh.co.uk>
<http://www.andyhsoftware.co.uk/space> Space: disk usage analysis tool

Thanks for the reply Andy! Oh well, I guess I will just have to wait
until 5 is available on my box. 30+ sites is too many to move.

Sigh,

jg