To OOP or not to OOP

[Gregor]

This is partially an opinion question. I have some modularization for my
main site using vanilla PHP. I'm a one-man operation.

Is there any major benefit to learning and using OOP? I have lots of other
stuff to be spending my limited intelligence learning.

[farrishj@gmail.com]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

On May 28, 3:44 pm, "Gregor" <rmba...@comcas t.netwrote:

This is partially an opinion question. I have some modularization for my
main site using vanilla PHP. I'm a one-man operation.
>
Is there any major benefit to learning and using OOP? I have lots of other
stuff to be spending my limited intelligence learning.

OOP is VERY useful for one-man operations. Learning OOP, however, is
somewhat time-consuming (which is not good for one-man ops).

If you're in PHP 5, you're a lot better off OOP-wise. This makes it a
little difficult, if you learn PHP5 and use it's OOP features, but
then somehow get stuck in PHP 4, which is a lot more free-wheeling
(think JavaScript).

This is a really difficult question to answer, since bad OOP-
influenced code can be WORSE than some procedural or functional code.
But it sure makes it a lot less finger-breaking to code:

<code>
class Build_Html_Page {
public static function __construct($ke y) {
$str = $this->getHtmlHeader( ) .
$this->getHtmlBody($k ey) .
$this->getHtmlFooter( );
return $str;
}
protected function getHtmlHeader() {
include BASE_PATH.'/INC/html-head.inc.php';
}
protected function getHtmlFooter() {
include BASE_PATH.'/INC/html-foot.inc.php';
}
protected function getHtmlBody() {
include BASE_PATH.'/INC/switch_content' .
$this->getSwitchKey() .
'.inc.php';
}
protected function getSwitchKey() {
$key = empty($_GET['section']) === true ?
'index' : $_GET['section'];
return $key;
}
}
$site = new Build_Html_Page ();
echo($site);
</code>

There you have a very low-key front-controller for a website. If you
want to change the switch section key logic, it sits in one place, and
one place only.

I personally like:

http://www.seagullproject.org

Also, try the Google Maps API to see a professionally-developed OOP
script (in JavaScript). Once you use objects well-developed, it makes
all the difference.

[farrishj@gmail.com]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

On May 28, 4:28 pm, "farri...@gmail .com" <farri...@gmail .comwrote:

On May 28, 3:44 pm, "Gregor" <rmba...@comcas t.netwrote:
>

This is partially an opinion question. I have some modularization for my
main site using vanilla PHP. I'm a one-man operation.

>

Is there any major benefit to learning and using OOP? I have lots of other
stuff to be spending my limited intelligence learning.

>
OOP is VERY useful for one-man operations. Learning OOP, however, is
somewhat time-consuming (which is not good for one-man ops).
>
If you're in PHP 5, you're a lot better off OOP-wise. This makes it a
little difficult, if you learn PHP5 and use it's OOP features, but
then somehow get stuck in PHP 4, which is a lot more free-wheeling
(think JavaScript).
>
This is a really difficult question to answer, since bad OOP-
influenced code can be WORSE than some procedural or functional code.
But it sure makes it a lot less finger-breaking to code:
>
<code>
class Build_Html_Page {
public static function __construct($ke y) {
$str = $this->getHtmlHeader( ) .
$this->getHtmlBody($k ey) .
$this->getHtmlFooter( );
return $str;
}
protected function getHtmlHeader() {
include BASE_PATH.'/INC/html-head.inc.php';
}
protected function getHtmlFooter() {
include BASE_PATH.'/INC/html-foot.inc.php';
}
protected function getHtmlBody() {
include BASE_PATH.'/INC/switch_content' .
$this->getSwitchKey() .
'.inc.php';
}
protected function getSwitchKey() {
$key = empty($_GET['section']) === true ?
'index' : $_GET['section'];
return $key;
}}
>
$site = new Build_Html_Page ();
echo($site);
</code>
>
There you have a very low-key front-controller for a website. If you
want to change the switch section key logic, it sits in one place, and
one place only.
>
I personally like:
>

http://www.seagullproject.org

>
Also, try the Google Maps API to see a professionally-developed OOP
script (in JavaScript). Once you use objects well-developed, it makes
all the difference.

Also, Harry Fuecks over at sitepoint.com has some really good books on
PHP OOP.

If you want to learn to code using OOP techniques, you also MUST learn
about design patterns:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_...mputer_science)

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

Gregor wrote:

This is partially an opinion question. I have some modularization for my
main site using vanilla PHP. I'm a one-man operation.
>
Is there any major benefit to learning and using OOP? I have lots of other
stuff to be spending my limited intelligence learning.
>
>

Yes, OOP is well worth learning. If you do it properly, it can make
code much more reusable and manageable.

The problem is there are a lot of self-styled "experts" on the web who
really don't know what they're talking about. Look for books from
recognized experts in the field. Your library can be a good starting point.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[=?ISO-8859-15?Q?Iv=E1n_S=E1nchez_Ortega?=]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

Jerry Stuckle wrote:

[...] Look for books from recognized experts in the field. Your library
can be a good starting point.

Aside from "PHP5 OOP" books, I suggest that you read some books
about "Design Patterns". It will teach you some algorithmics that are only
possible with OOP (better said, very difficult without).

--
----------------------------------
Iván Sánchez Ortega -ivansanchez-algarroba-escomposlinux-punto-org-

Dios Mío Está lleno de firmas!

[Good Man]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

=?ISO-8859-15?Q?Iv=E1n_S=E 1nchez_Ortega?=
<ivansanchez-alg@rroba-escomposlinux.-.punto.-.orgwrote in
news:f3fqvk$f7d $1@hercules.coh p1:

Jerry Stuckle wrote:
>

>[...] Look for books from recognized experts in the field. Your
>library can be a good starting point.

>
Aside from "PHP5 OOP" books, I suggest that you read some books
about "Design Patterns". It will teach you some algorithmics that are
only possible with OOP (better said, very difficult without).
>

And I present to all:
"PHP 5 Objects, Patterns and Practice" by Matt Zandstra

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2oyd5l

Been working through it over the past couple of weeks... highly recommended

[gosha bine]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

On 28.05.2007 22:44 Gregor wrote:

This is partially an opinion question. I have some modularization for my
main site using vanilla PHP. I'm a one-man operation.
>
Is there any major benefit to learning and using OOP? I have lots of other
stuff to be spending my limited intelligence learning.
>
>

OOP is like glasses. You don't understand how it can be useful until you
really need it. If you feel comfortable without OOP, it isn't worth
learning (yet).


--
gosha bine

extended php parser ~ http://code.google.com/p/pihipi
blok ~ http://www.tagarga.com/blok

[Toby A Inkster]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

gosha bine wrote:

OOP is like glasses. You don't understand how it can be useful until you
really need it.

Continuing the analogy further... and they might seem uncomfortable at
first, but that's not a reason to not persevere!

--
Toby A Inkster BSc (Hons) ARCS
[Geek of HTML/SQL/Perl/PHP/Python/Apache/Linux]
[OS: Linux 2.6.12-12mdksmp, up 94 days, 20:03.]

Non-Intuitive Surnames

http://tobyinkster.co.uk/blog/2007/05/25/non-intuitive-surnames/

[Joe Scylla]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

Gregor wrote:

This is partially an opinion question. I have some modularization for my
main site using vanilla PHP. I'm a one-man operation.
>
Is there any major benefit to learning and using OOP? I have lots of other
stuff to be spending my limited intelligence learning.

Well, all depends on your limited time.

There *are* alot of benefits learning OOP like more reusable and
manageable code, you will be able to create better code and the ability
to create more stable and error proof code.

I don't like the "glasses"-analogy because it's not only useful if you
*need* it. Things can be useful also if you don't need it to fulfil your
task.

The negatives are that you can create some nasty bugs with OOP
especially on more complex projects. Also some programmers tend to
overuse OOP. There's nothing wrong with functions and some procedural
programming.

[L. Berger]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

My 2 cents. I come from a Java and Visual C++ background, so I am very
comfortable with OOP. When I developed a website that now gets about
100,000 viewers a day, I did OOP. That's because PHP5 was touted to be
better with OOP.

Long story short. My code is now procedural. Very clean, organized in
functions and commented richly, and separated out in files (which is
how you'd separate "Class" files anyway). Over time I realized two
things;

1. Minimize require calls. (And use require instead of include or
include_once or require_once).
2. Use an accelerator, such as eAccelerator. This compiles your code
and basically boils it down to one include in most cases.

In reality, if you are learning the language then OOP may be a classy
thing to learn and it's good to know. Performance wise procedural is
best. I don't buy the cleanliness and maintenance stuff one bit.
Procedural code can be equally clean and well laid out. And it
performs significantly better -- no instantiation of classes and
objects.

This is simply my experience.

[Gregor]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

Thanks for this and all of the many very helpful posts.

I just ordered this. I guess the only way I'm going to get a final answer
is to try it out, sigh.

"Good Man" <heyho@letsgo.c omwrote in message
news:Xns993EE0D B1D573sonicyout h@216.196.97.13 1...

=?ISO-8859-15?Q?Iv=E1n_S=E 1nchez_Ortega?=
<ivansanchez-alg@rroba-escomposlinux.-.punto.-.orgwrote in
news:f3fqvk$f7d $1@hercules.coh p1:
>

>Jerry Stuckle wrote:
>>

>>[...] Look for books from recognized experts in the field. Your
>>library can be a good starting point.

>>
>Aside from "PHP5 OOP" books, I suggest that you read some books
>about "Design Patterns". It will teach you some algorithmics that are
>only possible with OOP (better said, very difficult without).
>>

>
And I present to all:
"PHP 5 Objects, Patterns and Practice" by Matt Zandstra

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2oyd5l

>
Been working through it over the past couple of weeks... highly
recommended

[Henk verhoeven]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

Gregor schreef:

This is partially an opinion question. I have some modularization for my
main site using vanilla PHP. I'm a one-man operation.
>
Is there any major benefit to learning and using OOP? I have lots of other
stuff to be spending my limited intelligence learning.
>
>

One thing OOP is great at that is hard to do with procedural code is
hiding different implementations under a common interface. Look for
example to php's PDO (PHP Data Objects, see
http://nl2.php.net/manual/en/ref.pdo.php ). Several classes implement
the PDO interface for different databases. At the start of your script
you only have to instantiate the right class. From then on all the calls
to the PDO objects will be the same, so if you want to make your script
work on a different database, you will not have to go through your
script to change all function calls. (Of course the PDO has it's
limitations, it will not solve incompatibiliti es between the SQL
dialects of the different databases.

OOP beginners can learn something else from this example too: It is not
inheritance that matters, it's delegation. In the case of your script
using PDO objects, the script is said to delegate to the PDO objects. It
does not inherit from them. It may even be a procedural script. Yet it
uses their functionality in a flexible way: the implementations can
change by using an object of a different class.

Having different implementations for the same service is called
polymorphism. Every OOP method call is a possible place to introduce
polymorphism. Right away, or later on, when new end user demands need to
be met.

If we use an object of a different class, all implementarions defined in
that class come into effect together. So classes bundel
implementations , and therfore they limit flexibility. But using classes
can improve understandabili ty. The CRAFT of object oriented design is to
balance understandabili ty (simplicity) against flexibilty. The ART of
object oriented design is to invent elegant solutions that maximize both.

Greetings,

Henk Verhoeven,
www.phpPeanuts.org.

[Joe Scylla]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

L. Berger wrote:

In reality, if you are learning the language then OOP may be a classy
thing to learn and it's good to know. Performance wise procedural is
best. I don't buy the cleanliness and maintenance stuff one bit.
Procedural code can be equally clean and well laid out. And it
performs significantly better -- no instantiation of classes and
objects.
>
This is simply my experience.

Well that's a good point i forgot. The overall performance is not as
good as procedural programming.

Then - on the other hand - the performance hit depends highly on the
design. It's possible to OOP with a minimal performance hit.

Cleanliness and maintenance is important if you have complex web
projects with many changes and additions.

[Gregor]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP


"L. Berger" <straightfwd007 @gmail.comwrote in message
news:1180451838 .251123.37150@d 30g2000prg.goog legroups.com...
* * *

1. Minimize require calls. (And use require instead of include or
include_once or require_once).
2. Use an accelerator, such as eAccelerator. This compiles your code
and basically boils it down to one include in most cases.

* * *

Could you explain these for me please, if you have the time?

I can understand the obvious reasons to minimize require calls, but why do
you prefer, say, "require()" over "require_once() "? And why not use
"include()" for, say, a block of stand-alone text when you would rather see
it omitted than have the page not load?

I have never heard of an accelerator. I'm assuming it acts a bit like a css
optimizer, perhaps sort of a poor man's framework? Does eAccelerator ever
create bugs, like css optimization programs?

[Good Man]

Re: To OOP or not to OOP

Henk verhoeven <news1@phpPeanu ts_RemoveThis.o rgwrote in
news:f3i9nt$u4v $1@news6.zwoll1 .ov.home.nl:

If we use an object of a different class, all implementarions defined
in that class come into effect together. So classes bundel
implementations , and therfore they limit flexibility. But using
classes can improve understandabili ty. The CRAFT of object oriented
design is to balance understandabili ty (simplicity) against
flexibilty. The ART of object oriented design is to invent elegant
solutions that maximize both.

Nice post.