Implementation of Asymmetric Visibility for Properties in PhpGenerator
- David Grudl
- Nette Core | 8228
I'm working on implementing asymmetric visibility for properties in Nette PhpGenerator (e.g., public getter + protected setter). I have 3 API design variants, and I’m interested in your opinion.
Variant 1: Boolean parameter
$prop->setPublic(); // default for getter
$prop->setProtected(set: true); // for setter only
if ($prop->isPrivate(set: true)) {
// check the setter
}
✅ Intuitive boolean choice
✅ IDE suggests named parameter
✅ Consistent API pattern
❌ Lacks the ability to write (get: true)
❌ Potential confusion with $prop->setPublic(set: false)
Variant 2: Separate methods
$prop->setPublic(); // default for getter
$prop->setPublicSet(); // visibility for setter
if ($prop->isPrivateSet()) {
// check the setter
}
✅ Explicit separate methods
✅ Similar to Reflection API
❌ Duplicate methods
❌ Awkward naming (getVisibilitySet?)
❌ Awkward naming II. – getVisibility() would need to be replaced with
getVisibilityGet()
Variant 3: String mode parameter
$prop->setPublic(); // or setPublic('get')
$prop->setProtected('set');
if ($prop->isPrivate('set')) {
// check the setter
}
✅ Readable in code
✅ Flexible for possible additional modes (though they’re not expected)
❌ Prone to typos
❌ PhpStorm doesn’t suggest (yet, but PHPStan can validate)
❌ String literals in code (a constant/enum could be created for this)
I’m leaning toward Variant 3, but I’d like to hear your opinion. Which would you choose and why?
- Marek Bartoš
- Nette Blogger | 1275
If you don't require PHP 8.1 just yet – here is my solution replicating enum behavior. Once I require 8.1+ I'll just turn the class into enum, deprecate constructor methods and replace them with enum cases. It would fit nice with the third variant.
Btw, will the new feature support get/set expressions?
- Marek Bartoš
- Nette Blogger | 1275
@DavidGrudl No. I am proposing to use the third variant, but with enum-like class. It would be strictly typed and could be turned into real enum once the php-generator requires PHP 8.1+
It would be just used as
$prop->setProtected(AccessMode::set()); and then, with PHP 8.1+
required $prop->setProtected(AccessMode::Set);
This is the class
use ValueError;
final class AccessMode
{
private const Set = 1,
Get = 2,
SetGet = 3;
private const ValuesAndNames = [
self::Set => 'Set',
self::Get => 'Get',
self::SetGet => 'SetGet',
];
/** @readonly */
public string $name;
/** @readonly */
public int $value;
/** @var array<string, self> */
private static array $instances = [];
private function __construct(string $name, int $value)
{
$this->name = $name;
$this->value = $value;
}
public static function set(): self
{
return self::from(self::Set);
}
public static function get(): self
{
return self::from(self::Get);
}
public static function setGet(): self
{
return self::from(self::SetGet);
}
public static function tryFrom(int $value): ?self
{
$key = self::ValuesAndNames[$value] ?? null;
if ($key === null) {
return null;
}
return self::$instances[$key] ??= new self($key, $value);
}
public static function from(int $value): self
{
$self = self::tryFrom($value);
if ($self === null) {
throw new ValueError();
}
return $self;
}
/**
* @return array<self>
*/
public static function cases(): array
{
$cases = [];
foreach (self::ValuesAndNames as $value => $name) {
$cases[] = self::from($value);
}
return $cases;
}
}
And once you require PHP 8.1+
enum AccessMode: int
{
case Set = 1;
case Get = 2;
case SetGet = 3;
/**
* @deprecated
* @use self::Set
*/
public static function set(): self
{
return self::Set;
}
/**
* @deprecated
* @use self::Get
*/
public static function get(): self
{
return self::Get;
}
/**
* @deprecated
* @use self::SetGet
*/
public static function setGet(): self
{
return self::SetGet;
}
}
Last edited by Marek Bartoš (2024-11-28 22:21)
- David Grudl
- Nette Core | 8228
The third case can, of course, be solved using a constant or an enum; I mention this very briefly there. I consider this a minor detail.
