call_user_func() vs. "variable functions"

Re: call_user_func( ) vs. "variab le functions"

On 10 Jul 2005 13:11:53 -0700, "elektrophy te" <elektrophyte@y ahoo.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>I was looking at the PHP function "call_user_func ()"
>(http://us3.php.net/call_user_func). It appears that this will solve a
>design problem in the app I'm working on. (I'm writing a class that
>will allow a PHP programmer to call their own custom functions.)
>
>However, in the comments a couple people mention "variable functions".
>E.g., "You should avoid this function and use variable function calls
>instead!"[/color]

They're quite similar, and the choice probably just comes down to an opinion
on style.

However, call_user_func_ array has distinct advantages, such as not needing to
know the number of parameters in advance.
[color=blue]
>What are "variable functions"?[/color]



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

Re: call_user_func( ) vs. &quot;variab le functions&quot;

Oh so that's what "variable functions" are. It's funny, I searched but
that didn't come up. It's a cool piece of language functionality, but
it looks like it could lead to some really hard-to-read code. I think
I'll use the more verbose, but clearer "call_user_func ()" method.

E

Re: call_user_func( ) vs. &quot;variab le functions&quot;

Functionally the two methods are the same. They differ in how PHP
reacts when the specified function is undefined. Calling a non-existing
function through a variable causes a fatal error, while
call_user_func( ) returns a warning.