OO PHP class variable of empty array unexpected t_variable

Question

I wanted to initialize a class array as empty. For some reason, it's giving me the error "unexpected T_VARIABLE." Does anyone have an idea what's wrong with this class variable/array? This is what the class looks like:

class SentenceContentContainer {
    var $strSentence; //theSentence entered
    $arrayOfWords = []; //running the code has issue with this line

    function SentenceContentContainer($strSentence)
    {
        $this->strSentence = $strSentence;
    }

    function addWordToContainer(&$wordToAdd)
    {
        ...
    }
} //SentenceContentContainer

You need the `var` (or `public`, `private`, `protected`) keyword before `$arrayOfWords`. — gen_Eric, May 04 '16 at 20:35
In a class context, the `$arrayOfWords` variable needs to be declared with visibility keywords. See http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.visibility.php — WillardSolutions, May 04 '16 at 20:37

olibiaz · Answer 1 · 2016-05-04T21:08:49.113

Your variable is not defined correctly

class SentenceContentContainer {
    public $strSentence; //theSentence entered
    public $arrayOfWords = [] // running the code has issue with this line
    ....
}

choose public or private or protected, but var is less explicit, i prefer the others but its your choices. But your class variables must have a visibility keyword.

EDIT: as @AbraCadaver mention in this comment, the official documentation advise you to avoid var keyword

http://php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.visibility.php

Note: The PHP 4 method of declaring a variable with the var keyword is still supported for compatibility reasons (as a synonym for the public keyword). In PHP 5 before 5.1.3, its usage would generate an E_STRICT warning

`var` is deprecated and is `public`. – AbraCadaver May 04 '16 at 20:40 — AbraCadaver, May 04 '16 at 20:40

miken32 · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-04T21:18:28.763

2

The code you're using is old PHP 4 syntax for objects, so stop using whatever resource you're learning from and start looking for something recent.

The var keyword and old-style constructors (function with same name as class) are both relics of a bygone age. You should be using the public keyword — assuming you need to access these variables publicly — and __construct() as a constructor function.

class SentenceContentContainer {
    public $strSentence; //theSentence entered
    public $arrayOfWords = []; //running the code has issue with this line

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

    function addWordToContainer(&$wordToAdd)
    {
        ...
    }
} //SentenceContentContainer

Note that unless you need to do something like this:

$sent = new SentenceContentContainer("Test sentence");
echo $sent->strSentence;

You should probably declare the variables as private instead of public.

edited May 04 '16 at 21:18

answered May 04 '16 at 21:12

miken32

39,644
15
91
133

I am doing that, so I'll make it public I guess – Michele May 05 '16 at 14:08
Thanks for this! I was focusing on the initialization to [] instead of public/private. This is very well explained. – Michele May 05 '16 at 14:10
1

No problem; good luck, and remember to check the "best before date" on any tutorials or sample code! – miken32 May 05 '16 at 14:12

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 04 '16 at 20:48

0

Here you go:

    <?php

        class SentenceContentContainer {
            protected $strSentence;       //theSentence entered
            protected $arrayOfWords = []; //running the code has issue with this line

            function SentenceContentContainer($strSentence)
            {
                $this->strSentence = $strSentence;
            }

            function addWordToContainer(&$wordToAdd)
            {
                //...
            }
        } //Sentence

answered May 04 '16 at 20:48

Poiz

7,519
2
13
17

1

Posting a block of code with no explanation of what you've changed, or why, will not be helpful to a novice programmer. Try to fix the problem *and* teach a lesson at the same time! – miken32 May 05 '16 at 14:16
If i may apologise... please excuse me... i would take your words as an advice. Again... excuse me... the intention was never negative but i agree that if you are learning, you need explanations than mere blocks of code. ;-) – Poiz May 05 '16 at 14:41

OO PHP class variable of empty array unexpected t_variable

3 Answers3