PHP5: Creating default object from empty value

Question

I'm getting an error in my PHP code Strict Standards: Creating default object from empty value. The code I'm using is:

$u = new User();
$user->id = $obj['user_id'];

The error is appearing on the second line, where I set the id property. The user class has id set as a private property with magic getters and setters defined.

Strangely, the exact same code works without the strict error elsewhere - so my main question is exactly what the error means? Hopefully then I can deduce what the problem is with the code.

Answer 1

Shouldn't it be

$u->id = $obj['user_id'];

Your current code is creating $user as a new StdClass object.

Answer 2

Perhaps you intended

$u->id=$obj['user_id'];

You get the error because $user doesn't exist, but from the context it knows it should be an object.

Answer 3

$u = new User();
$u->id = $obj['user_id'];

...........................

Answer 4

Not sure if this is relevant, but in your code snippet you create a variable called $u, but access $user...