Access array in PHP ojbect

Question

Hi, I have the following PHP object but I'm struggling to get the array item out of the object.

exampleBatch Object (
[file_path:protected] => 
[title:protected] => 
[description:protected] => 
[link:protected] => 
[items:protected] => Array ( ) 
[raw:protected] => data/example 
[feed_nid:protected] => 
Array ( 
    [0] => Array ( [path] => data/example/example/ [filename] => file.csv ) 
    [1] => Array ( [path] => data/example/example/ [filename] => file.csv ) 
    [2] => Array ( [path] => dexampleata/example// [filename] => file.csv ) ) 
[current_item:protected] => 
[created] => 0 
[updated] => 0 
[total:protected] => Array ( ) 
[progress:protected] => Array ( [fetching] => 1 [parsing] => 1 [processing] => 1 ) )

I need to access array containing the three keys and it's data for some post processing.

Whats the best way to go about grabbing the array?

Answer 1

If you can edit the class, either change the property you care for to public or write a getter for it:

function getItems() {
    return $this->items ;
}

Otherwise if you can't edit the class itself, you can extend it since the properties you want are protected which means a child class can access them:

class YourClass extends ThatClass {

    public function getItems {
        //parent $items really
        return $this->items ;
    }

}

Then you'll need to create an instance of YourClass instead of ThatClass and get the items array from it.

Similarly for any other protected properties you want.

Answer 2

The feed_nid property of your object is protected, so it cannot be accessed from outside the object.

Inside the object class, you should write a function like this:

function getFeedNid()
{
    return $this->feed_nid;
}

The original intent was obviously to keep that property internal and safe from external modification, so I would use this method instead of, for example, changing the protected $feed_nid declaration to public.