Create a new NullObject - on the fly?

[Cups]

Having read of the benefits of sometimes using NullObjects here, I suddenly spotted a need for one.

Say I have a simple CRUD app with 2 data entry forms.

-edit an existing record
-add a new record

and, as usual I'd like to use the same form for both purposes, here is one field:

// on the edit form
<input type='text' id='title' name='title' value='{$page->title}' />

// on the add new form
<input type='text' id='title' name='title' value='' /> 

It dawns on me that a null page class could do just fine for the latter case without having to do some nasty forking

class NullPage{

public $title = NULL ;

} 

if edit is true
$page = (get a page result set using the object notation)
else
$page = new NullPage ;

<input type='text' id='title' name='title' value='{$page->title}' />

Brilliant.

I suppose there is another way of course, just set the vars in my code

$page->title = '' ;

But say I then move off to work on People, then I'd need to make another, the NullPeople Class.

Right, so whats the best way I can make a generic NullObject that always returns null values no matter what properties I call?

(some __call magic no doubt ... I will be looking at that now)

But I have this nagging doubt, is there no other magical way of doing the same thing without actually having to (include and then) create a class at all?

[Cups]

class NullObject {
public $data = '' ;

function __get ( $property ){
 return $this->data = '' ;
}
}


$n = new NullObject ;

var_dump( $n->title ) ; 

My bad, not __call() but __get() - this is how I'd declare the class if you wanted empty strings back.

But I'd still have to include that class for every file that depended on it.

Anyone know of a better way?

[AnthonySterling]

Bah, i though you could use new StdClass(), but the following issues a notice, too messy for my liking.

<?php
$page = new stdClass();
echo $page->title;
?>

Shouldn't you be requiring this object at the point of creating the 'real' object though anyway?

The point being that you shouldn't *have* to add any special behavior when using a null object, that's the benefit it provides.

Pseudo...

<?php
class PageFactory
{
    public static function Get($id)
    {
        require('assets/page.class.php');
        require('assets/page.null.class.php');
        if(page_exists($id))
        {
            return new Page($id);
        }
        return new PageNullObject();
    }
}
?>

[Cups]

The real object is a PDO result set, returned as a class.

It is used inside another class;

eg:

if( !empty( $id ) ) {
     $action_label = "Save changes" ;
     $page = $this->PagesGateway->getRow( $id );

}else{
    $action_label = "Add new page" ;
    $page = new NullObject ;

}

// later ... 1 of n form elements
$form = <<<EOL

<input type='text' id='title' name='title' value='{$page->title}' />

EOL; 

*DING* Unless I get my Gateway to return a null object on demand? Could be ...

    $page = $this->PagesGateway->getRow(); 

Where the Gateway is responsible for instantiating and supplying the NullObject ? !!

[AnthonySterling]

*DING* Unless I get my Gateway to return a null object on demand? Could be ...

I thought I said that above?

Boy, I'm rubbish at explaining stuff.

[Cups]

Ah, so you did, ah well thanks for passing on the *DING* moment, and yes, stdClass() was what I was thinking about.

Cheers Antony, get yer flippers n'goggles on dude, nearly lunchtime!

[Cups]

I decided to only return the NullObject only when explicitly asked, so I have to stipulate:

$gateway->getRow( NULL ) ; // return a NullObject

It dawned on me that I could use it to return a NullObject when say, $id was missing, but that is a whole other issue - and crossing into that terrritory sounds like hard to find bugs and undocumented features.

$gateway->getRow() ; // choke or chuck an exception

class Gateway {

// other methods and properties

    function getRow( $id, $att=false, $raw=false ){

    // if id set to null return a null object
     if ( NULL === $id ) )
            return new NullObject ;

     // go ahead and get data 
     ...

     }


} 

Just in case anyone was wondering.
Thanks again Anthony.