Chaining Static Methods in PHP?

Question

Is it possible to chain static methods together using a static class? Say I wanted to do something like this:

$value = TestClass::toValue(5)::add(3)::subtrac         


        

Answer 1

The best that can be done

class S
{
    public static function  __callStatic($name,$args)
    {
        echo 'called S::'.$name . '( )<p>';
        return '_t';
    }
}

$_t='S';
${${S::X()}::F()}::C();

Answer 2

If toValue(x) returns an object, you could do like this:

$value = TestClass::toValue(5)->add(3)->substract(2)->add(8);

Providing that toValue returns a new instance of the object, and each next method mutates it, returning an instance of $this.

Answer 3

People are overcomplicating this like crazy.

Check this out:

class OopClass
{
    public $first;
    public $second;
    public $third;

    public static function make($first)
    {
        return new OopClass($first);
    }

    public function __construct($first)
    {
        $this->first = $first;
    }

    public function second($second)
    {
        $this->second = $second;
        return $this;
    }

    public function third($third)
    {
        $this->third = $third;
        return $this;
    }
}

Usage:

OopClass::make('Hello')->second('To')->third('World');

Answer 4

Use PHP 7! If your web provider cannot --> change provider! Don't lock in past.

final class TestClass {
    public static $currentValue;

    public static function toValue($value) {
        self::$currentValue = $value;
        return __CLASS__;
    }

    public static function add($value) {
        self::$currentValue = self::$currentValue + $value;
        return __CLASS__;
    }

    public static function subtract($value) {
        self::$currentValue = self::$currentValue - $value;
        return __CLASS__;
    }

    public static function result() {
        return self::$currentValue;
    }
}

And very simple use:

$value = TestClass::toValue(5)::add(3)::subtract(2)::add(8)::result();

var_dump($value);

Return (or throw error):

int(14)

completed contract.

Rule one: most evolved and maintainable is always better.

Answer 5

Fully functional example of method chaining with static attributes:

<?php


class Response
{
    static protected $headers = [];
    static protected $http_code = 200;
    static protected $http_code_msg = '';
    static protected $instance = NULL;


    protected function __construct() { }

    static function getInstance(){
        if(static::$instance == NULL){
            static::$instance = new static();
        }
        return static::$instance;
    }

    public function addHeaders(array $headers)
    {
        static::$headers = $headers;
        return static::getInstance();
    }

    public function addHeader(string $header)
    {
        static::$headers[] = $header;
        return static::getInstance();
    }

    public function code(int $http_code, string $msg = NULL)
    {
        static::$http_code_msg = $msg;
        static::$http_code = $http_code;
        return static::getInstance();
    }

    public function send($data, int $http_code = NULL){
        $http_code = $http_code != NULL ? $http_code : static::$http_code;

        if ($http_code != NULL)
            header(trim("HTTP/1.0 ".$http_code.' '.static::$http_code_msg));

        if (is_array($data) || is_object($data))
            $data = json_encode($data);

        echo $data; 
        exit();     
    }

    function sendError(string $msg_error, int $http_code = null){
        $this->send(['error' => $msg_error], $http_code);
    }
}

Example of use:

Response::getInstance()->code(400)->sendError("Lacks id in request");

Answer 6

I like the solution provided by Camilo above, essentially since all you're doing is altering the value of a static member, and since you do want chaining (even though it's only syntatic sugar), then instantiating TestClass is probably the best way to go.

I'd suggest a Singleton pattern if you want to restrict instantiation of the class:

class TestClass
{   
    public static $currentValue;

    private static $_instance = null;

    private function __construct () { }

    public static function getInstance ()
    {
        if (self::$_instance === null) {
            self::$_instance = new self;
        }

        return self::$_instance;
    }

    public function toValue($value) {
        self::$currentValue = $value;
        return $this;
    }

    public function add($value) {
        self::$currentValue = self::$currentValue + $value;
        return $this;
    }

    public function subtract($value) {
        self::$currentValue = self::$currentValue - $value;
        return $this;
    }

    public function result() {
        return self::$currentValue;
    }
}

// Example Usage:
$result = TestClass::getInstance ()
    ->toValue(5)
    ->add(3)
    ->subtract(2)
    ->add(8)
    ->result();