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diff --git a/ext/spl/README b/ext/spl/README deleted file mode 100755 index 60c6d97425..0000000000 --- a/ext/spl/README +++ /dev/null @@ -1,88 +0,0 @@ -This is an extension that aims to implement some efficient data access -interfaces and classes. You'll find the classes documented using php -code in the file spl.php. - -There are special SPL interfaces that provides the ability to hook into -foreach and array reading/writng. By inheriting these interfaces, instances -of the resulting classes can be iterated using the foreach construct or -use array read write notation. - -Look into the examples subdirectory for some basic examples which will -demonstracte this. - -Also some classes of extensions like SQLite inherit SPL interfaces so that -they take advantage of the foreach or array overloading. - -1) Iterators - -Iterator is design pattern that allows to enumerate and list all elements of -a collection whatsoever using an oo protocol. The minimalistic Iterator needs -a method that returns the current value, a method that moves to the next value -and a method that checks whether or not the Iterator can provide more elements. - -In SPL this basich Iterator is defined by the interface spl_forward: - -interface spl_forward { - function current(); - function next(); - function has_more(); -} - -This basic Iterator does not allow to rewind itself nor does it in anyway -support to name the values by some kind association as key/value mappings -provided by the standard PHP arrays. All these additions to the basic Iterator -are done in specialized interfaces as described in detail in the file spl.php. - -SPL allows to hook into the engine opcodes that realize the foreach construct. -This construct normally works on arrays the following way. First it rewinds -the current array position to the beginning. Then it loops through the whole -array by first checking whether or not the end of the array is reached and -if not returning the current array value and or key. After that it move the -current array pointer forward and does starts the loop process again. As you -can see this perfectly maps to the interface spl_forward. So the foreach -hooking simply checks whether or not the variable passed to foreach is an -object of a class implementing the interface spl_forward. The foreach hook -can be activated by --enable-spl-foreach which is on by default. - -class it implements spl_forward... -$obj = new it(); -foreach($obj as $value) ... - -2) Arrays - -Arrays in general, not specifically PHP arrays, provide a collection of pairs -normally referred to as key and value. A PHP object consists of properties and -a class type specifing the methods available for the object. SPL now allows -this to be combined using the spl_array_<xy> interfaces. - -The minimalistic array interface is spl_array_read which only support reading: - -interface spl_array_read { - function exists($key); - function get($key); -} - -Any instance of a class that implements spl_array_read can be used with array -read notation when the corresponding hook is activated --enable-spl-array-read. - -class ar implements spl_array_read... -$obj = new ar(); -$value = $obj[$key]; - -SPL also supports the write notation by the interface spl_array_access: - -interface spl_array_access extends spl_array_read { - function set($value, $index); -} - -When the array write hook is activated by --enable-spl-array-write the -following can be done: - -class ar implements spl_array_access... -$obj = new ar(); -$value = $obj[$key]; -$obj[$key] = $value; - -However this hook should only be activated when it is made use of, since it -slows down noticeable. That is the case because first there is some not used -overhead and second the overhead is in one the most often used opcodes.
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