Calling non-static method with call_user_func_array in PHP

Question

I'm trying to call an object's non-static method with call_user_func_array but I'm not understanding how to formulate the callback. I've found a lot of similar examples online but nothing quite like what I'm running into.

class DBCommand {
    private $db; // The DBConnection object

    function __construct() {
        $db = new DBConnection();
    }

    function callMethod($method, $arguments) {
        // This line gives me the error:
        return call_user_func_array(array($this->db, "$method"), $arguments);
    }
}
?>

Calling callMethod with the name of a DBConnection method and its proper arguments gives me this

PHP Warning:  call_user_func_array() expects parameter 1 to be a valid 
callback, first array member is not a valid class name or object

And because of this, callMethod returns null.

$this->db = new DBConnection(); in constructor. Currently you assign a connection object to just a local variable, not to an object field. — zerkms
– zerkms, Commented Jul 19, 2016 at 22:58
Side note, you don't need to quote the variable. Just $method will work. — Rasclatt
– Rasclatt, Commented Jul 19, 2016 at 23:00
@csstudent you will run into an infinite recursion when you instantiate DBConnection. — BeetleJuice
– BeetleJuice, Commented Jul 19, 2016 at 23:50

BeetleJuice · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-21 23:48:53Z

6

Use the notation [$objectHandle, "methodName"] to dynamically call a non-static method:

call_user_func_array([$this,$method], $arguments);

Live demo

edited Jul 21, 2016 at 23:48

answered Jul 19, 2016 at 23:23

BeetleJuice

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3 Comments

scrowler Over a year ago

The question asks about non static methods

csstudent Over a year ago

@BeetleJuice Actually there's no infinite recursion. DBCommand != DBConnection

BeetleJuice Over a year ago

My bad I misread OP class's name as DBConnection when it's DBCommand. I've removed that note from my answer.

Kilvny · Accepted Answer · 2023-06-04 21:36:39Z

0

In my case, I was trying to handle that in a controller method calling in a MVC structure

What worked for me was creating a new instance of the class that the desired method to call exists in and passing that instance instead of calling directly from the parent class:

   $controller = new $controller(); 
   call_user_func_array([$controller, $this->method], $this->params);

As it will produce a Fatal Error if the method being called is non-static :

Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: call_user_func_array(): Argument #1 ($callback) must be a valid callback, non-static method $ClassController::desiredMethod() cannot be called statically

Try to work with static methods or use this approach (new-instance) for whoever faces a similar problem!

edited Jun 4, 2023 at 21:36

answered Jun 4, 2023 at 21:30

Kilvny

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