get_class_vars

(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8)

get_class_varsGet the default properties of the class

Description

get_class_vars(string $class): array

Get the default properties of the given class.

Parameters

class

The class name

Return Values

Returns an associative array of declared properties visible from the current scope, with their default value. The resulting array elements are in the form of varname => value. In case of an error, it returns false.

Examples

Example #1 get_class_vars() example

<?php

class MyClass
{
public
$var1; // This has no explicit default value (technically it has NULL as a default)...
public $var2 = "xyz";
public
$var3 = 100;
private
$var4;

public function
__construct()
{
// Change some properties
$this->var1 = "foo";
$this->var2 = "bar";
return
true;
}
}

$my_class = new MyClass();

$class_vars = get_class_vars(get_class($my_class));

foreach (
$class_vars as $name => $value) {
echo
"{$name}: ", var_export($value, true), "\n";
}

?>

The above example will output:

var1: NULL
var2: 'xyz'
var3: 100

Example #2 get_class_vars() and scoping behaviour

<?php

function format($array)
{
return
implode('|', array_keys($array)) . "\r\n";
}

class
TestCase
{
public
$a = 1;
protected
$b = 2;
private
$c = 3;

public static function
expose()
{
echo
format(get_class_vars(__CLASS__));
}
}

TestCase::expose();
echo
format(get_class_vars('TestCase'));

?>

The above example will output:

// 5.0.0
a| * b| TestCase c
a| * b| TestCase c

// 5.0.1 - 5.0.2
a|b|c
a|b|c

// 5.0.3 +
a|b|c
a

See Also

add a note

User Contributed Notes 7 notes

up
13
rec at NOSPAM dot instantmassacre dot com
22 years ago
If you want to retrieve the class vars from within the class itself, use $this.

<?php
class Foo {

var
$a;
var
$b;
var
$c;
var
$d;
var
$e;

function
GetClassVars()
{
return
array_keys(get_class_vars(get_class($this))); // $this
}

}

$Foo = new Foo;

$class_vars = $Foo->GetClassVars();

foreach (
$class_vars as $cvar)
{
echo
$cvar . "<br />\n";
}
?>

Produces, after PHP 4.2.0, the following:

a
b
c
d
e
up
5
bof at bof dot de
12 years ago
I needed to get only the class static variables, leaving out instance variables.

<?php
function get_static_vars($class) {
$result = array();
foreach (
get_class_vars($class) as $name => $default)
if (isset(
$class::$$name))
$result[$name] = $default;
return
$result;
}
?>

That function returns only the public ones. The same pattern can be used inside a class, then it returns private and protected static variables, too:

<?php
static protected function get_static_vars($class = NULL) {
if (!isset(
$class)) $class = get_called_class();
$result = array();
foreach (
get_class_vars($class) as $name => $default)
if (isset(
$class::$$name))
$result[$name] = $default;
return
$result;
}
?>
up
3
ken at verango dot com
14 years ago
All 3 of get_object_vars, get_class_vars and reflection getDefaultProperties will reveal the name of the array. For serialization I recommend:

<?php
$cName
= get_class($this);
$varTemplate= get_class_vars($cName)
foreach (
$varTemplate as $name => $defaultVal) {
$vars[$name] = $this->$name; // gets actual val.
}
?>

No scan the $vars and create serialization string how you wish.

This protects against erroneous prior deserializing in maintaining the integrity of the class template and ignoring unintended object properties.
up
1
flobee
9 years ago
<?php
class someClass {
public function
toArray() {
$records = array();

foreach(
$this as $key => $value ) {
$records[$key] = $value;
}

return
$records;
}

}
?>
up
1
ciantic
12 years ago
I propse following for getting Public members, always:
<?PHP
if (!function_exists("get_public_class_vars")) {
function
get_public_class_vars($class) {
return
get_class_vars($class);
}
}
if (!
function_exists("get_public_object_vars")) {
function
get_public_object_vars($object) {
return
get_object_vars($object);
}
}
?>

This is to mitigate the problem and a feature that get_object_vars($this) returns private members. Running it simply outside the scope will get the public.

Iterating public members only and their defaults are enormously useful in e.g. in serialization classes such as options where each public member is an serializable that is saved and loaded.
up
1
ianitsky at gmail dot com
15 years ago
If you need get the child protected/private vars ignoring the parent vars, use like this:

<?php
class childClass extends parentClass {
private
$login;
private
$password;

public function
__set($key, $val) {
if (
$key == 'password')
$this->$key = md5($val);
else
$this->$key = $val;
}
}
class
parentClass {
public
$name;
public
$email;

function
__construct() {
$reflection = new ReflectionClass($this);
$vars = array_keys($reflection->getdefaultProperties());
$reflection = new ReflectionClass(__CLASS__);
$parent_vars = array_keys($reflection->getdefaultProperties());

$my_child_vars = array();
foreach (
$vars as $key) {
if (!
in_array($key, $parent_vars)) {
$my_child_vars[] = $key;
}
}

print_r($my_child_vars);
}
}

$child_class = new childClass();
?>
up
1
artktec at art-k-tec dot com
17 years ago
There seems to be be a function to get constants missing , i.e. get_class_constants() ... so here is a simple function for you all. Hopefully Zend will include this in the next round as a native php call, without using reflection.

<?php
function GetClassConstants($sClassName) {
$oClass = new ReflectionClass($sClassName);
return
$oClass->getConstants());
}
?>
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