note 86096 added to language.oop5.magic

To be helpful, the __toString() method should return the class name and the state of all its properties inside square brackets.

<?php
class Point {
  protected $x, $y;

  public function __construct($xVal = 0, $yVal = 0) {
    $this->x = $xVal;
    $this->y = $yVal;
  }    

  public function __toString() {      // the function we're interested in...
    return "Point[x=$this->x, y=$this->y]";
  }
}

$point1 = new Point(10, 10);
$point2 = new Point(50, 50);
echo $point1 . '<br>';
echo $point2 . '<br><br>';
?>

Point[x=10, y=10]
Point[x=50, y=50]

Classes that include objects, should call that objects __toString() method.

<?php
class Line {
  protected $start, $end;

  public function __construct(Point $p1, Point $p2){
    $this->start = $p1;
    $this->end = $p2;
  }

  public function __toString() {      // the function we're interested in...
    return 'Line[start=' . $this->start->__toString() .  // call __toString()
     ', end=' . $this->end->__toString() . ']';          // call __toString()
  }
}

echo (new Line($point1, $point2));
?>

Line[start=Point[x=10, y=10], end=Point[x=50, y=50]]
----
Server IP: 69.147.83.197
Probable Submitter: 67.150.124.17
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Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.magic.php
Edit        -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/86096
Del: integrated  -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/86096/integrated
Del: useless     -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/86096/useless
Del: bad code    -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/86096/bad+code
Del: spam        -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/86096/spam
Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/86096/non-english
Del: in docs     -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/86096/in+docs
Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/86096
Reject      -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/86096
Search      -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php