PHP Classes and Objects Assigning Object References

PHP Classes and Objects

Assigning Object References

Problem

You want to link two objects, so when you update one, you also update the other.

Solution

Use = to assign one object to another by reference:

            $adam = new user;
            $dave = $adam;

Discussion

When you do an object assignment using =, you don’t create a new copy of an object, but a reference to the first. So, modifying one alters the other.

This is different from how PHP treats other types of variables, where it does a copy-by-value:

            $adam = new user;
            $adam->load_info('adam');

            $dave = $adam;

Now $dave and $adam are two names for the exact same object.