SPL autoloading in PHP

In php5 we have a fabulous new feature, autoloading Objects. This function load dynamically classes.Before this magic function, we had to include all needed files before using an object.
How it works ? Very simple :

function __autoload($class) {
    if(is_file($class . '.php')){
          require_once $class.'.php';
    }else{
          printf("Error when trying to load %s", $class);
    }
 
}
 
$mmpObj  = new MmpClass();

In php >= 5.1.2 a new SPL function upgrade this function. How ? You can declare multiple autoload functions. You can register as much autoload functions as you want with the spl_autoload_register function.
A small example :
We have an application with source classes in /kernel. We have specific classes in a different directory : /apps/lib. The autoload functions are defined in a /config/config.ini.php file. In the /kernel we have differents subdirectory.

spl_autoload_register(null,false);
 
function appsLibLoader($classLib) {
 
    $classLib = strtolower($classLib);  
 
    if(is_file(__DIR__."/../apps/lib/lib.".$classLib.".php")){
 	require(__DIR__."/../apps/lib/lib.".$classLib.".php");
    }else{
       echo "ERROR during Loading class::".$classLib;
    }
}function kernelLoader($classKernel) {
    $iterator = new RecursiveIteratorIterator(new RecursiveDirectoryIterator(__DIR__."/../kernel/",RecursiveDirectoryIterator::KEY_AS_FILENAME),RecursiveIteratorIterator::SELF_FIRST);
 
    foreach ($iterator as $entry){
        if($entry->isFile() && strtolower($classKernel) == strtolower(basename($iterator->current(),".php"))){
        	require($iterator->getPathname());
 	}
    }
}
 
spl_autoload_register('appsLibLoader',false);
spl_autoload_register('kernelLoader',false);

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You’re currently reading “SPL autoloading in PHP,” an entry on Make me pulse - Making a better life for web developer since 2006

Published:
04.21.08 / 10am
Category:
Php, Tips, Tutorial