PHP traits - change value of static property in inherited class

morgoth84 picture morgoth84 · Nov 30, 2013 · Viewed 10.1k times · Source

So, this is my trait:

trait Cacheable
{
    protected static $isCacheEnabled = false;
    protected static $cacheExpirationTime = null;

    public static function isCacheEnabled()
    {
        return static::$isCacheEnabled && Cache::isEnabled();
    }

    public static function getCacheExpirationTime()
    {
        return static::$cacheExpirationTime;
    }
}

This is the base class:

abstract class BaseClass extends SomeOtherBaseClass
{
    use Cacheable;
    ...
}

These are my 2 final classes:

class Class1 extends BaseClass
{
    ...
}

class Class2 extends BaseClass
{
    protected static $isCacheEnabled = true;
    protected static $cacheExpirationTime = 3600;
    ...
}

Here is the part of the code which executes these classes:

function baseClassRunner($baseClassName)
{
    ...
    $output = null;
    if ($baseClassName::isCacheEnabled()) {
        $output = Cache::getInstance()->get('the_key');
    }
    if ($output === null) {
        $baseClass = new $baseClassName();
        $output = $baseClass->getOutput();
        if ($baseClassName::isCacheEnabled()) {
            Cache::getInstance()->set('the_key', $output);
        }
    }
    ...
}

This code doesn't work because PHP complains about defining same properties in Class2 as in Cacheable. I can't set them in their constructors because I want to read them even before running the constructor. I'm open for ideas, any help would be appreciated. :)

EDIT:

Well, I use this Cacheable trait on several places so i kind of got mixed up. :) This works fine like this. But I have another class which directly uses the Cacheable trait and when I try to do this on that class, I get the metioned error. So... Just assume that the BaseClass isn't abstract and I'm trying to set these cache properties on it. The question remains the same.

Answer

Tariq C picture Tariq C · Dec 7, 2013

You can not reassign trait properties.

From PHP manual http://php.net/traits

See Example #12 Conflict Resolution

If a trait defines a property then a class can not define a property with the same name, otherwise an error is issued. It is an E_STRICT if the class definition is compatible (same visibility and initial value) or fatal error otherwise.

One solution would be to define override properties in the class

class Class2 extends BaseClass
{
    protected static $_isCacheEnabled = true;
    protected static $_cacheExpirationTime = 3600;
    ...
}

and then modify your trait as such...

trait Cacheable
{
    protected static $isCacheEnabled = false;
    protected static $cacheExpirationTime = null;

    public static function isCacheEnabled()
    {

        if ( Cache::isEnabled() ) {
            return isset( static::$_isCacheEnabled ) ? static::$_isCacheEnabled :
                static::$isCacheEnabled;
        } else {
            return false;
        }

    }

    public static function getCacheExpirationTime()
    {
        return isset ( static::$_cacheExpirationTime ) ? static::$_cacheExpirationTime :        
            static::$cacheExpirationTime;
    }
}