PHP multiple __autoload functions *without* the use of spl_register_autoload?

Question

I'm an author of a growing library of PHP + QuickBooks related code. I'd like to utilize PHPs __autoload() function, however my code is a library that other people can include() into their own applications, so I can't rely on __autoload() being not already defined.

Is there a way to have multiple __autoload() functions?

I saw spl_autoload_register() in the PHP manual, but not all of my users have the SPL extension installed, so I can't rely on that. If there was a way to fall-back to using this and use normal require/include statements by default, I might consider that.

Does anyone else have any other clever solutions to this issue? It seems like a glaring oversight to only be able to have a single __autoload() function...

Answer 1

I saw spl_autoload_register() in the PHP manual, but not all of my users have the SPL extension installed, so I can't rely on that.

Ignore them, it's compiled in by default and can't even be disabled in 5.3.0. Don't sacrifice your framework to please the minority.

Answer 2

I have decided that the way to go about this and also preserve backward compatibility is to write my own "Loader" class.

Instead of using require_once 'TheFile.php', I now use Loader::load('TheFile.php');. The Loader::load() method does the following:

if ( the function spl_autoload_register exists )
   register an autoloader
   return true
else 
   check if the file has already been included (static array var with a list of files)
   if not included yet
      require $file
   return true

This gives me the flexibility to use the autoloader if their PHP installation supports it, and otherwise fall back to just doing normal require $file; type stuff.