Classes. What's the point?

Question

I\'m fairly new to OOP in PHP, I\'ve made a couple of basic scripts but nothing impressive. All I\'ve really taken from it is that it would probably be easier just make a co

Answer 1

While it may at first look simpler to just use a set of functions and include them, classes have their strong points. Classes can store variables and those variables are there "later."

Here's an edited example from php.net

v.s:

name = $name;
    $this->price = $price;
  }

  function calculate($qty) {
    $this->total = number_format(($this->price * $qty), 2);
  }

  public function __toString() {
    return "You ordered ($this->qty) '$this->name'" . ($this->qty == 1 ? "" : "s") .
    " at \$$this->price, for a total of: \$$this->total.";
  }
}

$widget22 = new Item("Widget 22", 4.90);

$widget22->calculate(2);

echo $widget22;
?>

Another huge benefit is that you can make more of them. Say you want to calculate the price of another item and print it. Instead of having to duplicate all the fancy logic, you can just call new Item and be done.