Defining a variable in a class and using it in functions

Question

I am trying to learn PHP classes so I can begin coding more OOP projects. To help me learn I am building a class that uses the Rapidshare API. Here's my class:

<?php

class RS
{
    public $baseUrl = 'http://api.rapidshare.com/cgi-bin/rsapi.cgi?sub=';

    function apiCall($params)
    {
        echo $baseUrl;
    }
}

?>

$params will contain a set of key pair values, like this:

$params = array(
    'sub'   =>  'listfiles_v1',
    'type'  =>  'prem',
    'login' =>  '746625',
    'password'  =>  'not_my_real_pass',
    'realfolder'    => '0',
    'fields'    => 'filename,downloads,size',
    );

Which will later be appended to $baseUrl to make the final request URL, but I can't get $baseUrl to appear in my apiCall() method. I have tried the following:

var $baseUrl = 'http://api.rapidshare.com/cgi-bin/rsapi.cgi?sub=';

$baseUrl = 'http://api.rapidshare.com/cgi-bin/rsapi.cgi?sub=';

private $baseUrl = 'http://api.rapidshare.com/cgi-bin/rsapi.cgi?sub=';

And even tried $this->baseUrl = $baseUrl; in my apiCall() methid, I don't know what the hell I was thinking there though lol.

Any help is appreciated thanks :)

Answer 1

Try

function apiCall($params)
{
    echo $this->baseUrl;
}

I trust you are calling this code like so?

$rs = new RS;
$rs->apiCall($params);

Class attributes need to be prefixed with $this in PHP. The only exceptions are static methods and class constants when you use self.

Answer 2

function apiCall($params)
{
    echo $this->baseUrl;
}

You can access class variables int methods like this. When you use $this->baseUrl = $baseUrl; You change the value of class var $baseUrl with a local var $baseUrl which is probably NULL That why you are not getting any value back

Answer 3

Try this:

class C
{
    public $v = 'Hello, world!';

    function printHello()
    {
        echo $this->v;   // "Hello, world!"
    }
}

$obj = new C();
$obj->printHello();