What is the "->" in code?

Question

I am trying to learn how a specific project works and while I can find most functions online, I found one that stumps me. I see "->" appear every so often in the code, but have no idea what it does. What does "->" mean in PHP or Joomla?

http://us1.php.net/manual/en/classobj.examples.php Manual works well. Its the operator that 'points to' an objects methods and parameters. IE a Class object has a parameter named $count. You access that parameter by pointing to it. Class->count — Rottingham, Jan 07 '14 at 22:52
Joomla is a system built on PHP, it's not a language by itself. Joomla can't do anything that the underlying PHP it's built in couldn't do already. — Marc B, Jan 07 '14 at 22:57

scrblnrd3 · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-07T23:03:06.680

2

It's the object operator in PHP. It is used to access child properties and methods of classes. Its Javascript and Java equivalent is the . operator. It would be used in PHP like this

class foo{
    public $bar="qux";
    public function display(){
        echo $this->bar;
    }

}
$myFoo=new foo();
$myFoo->display(); //displays "qux"

edited Jan 07 '14 at 23:03

answered Jan 07 '14 at 22:52

scrblnrd3

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Note: should be `$myFoo->display()` – Damien Pirsy Jan 07 '14 at 23:02
@DamienPirsy thanks for catching that! – scrblnrd3 Jan 07 '14 at 23:03

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 07 '14 at 22:51

0

Its like the . operator in C++ and Java. Refers to members within a class. C++ also uses the -> to access members when the variable preceding the -> is a pointer to a class rather than an instance of the class.

answered Jan 07 '14 at 22:51

developerwjk

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 07 '14 at 22:53

0

-> is the way used to call a method.

In C, C++, C#, Java you use . (dot) notation to call a method:

operation.sum(a, b);

In php you do it using ->

operation->sum(a,b)

answered Jan 07 '14 at 22:53

Sebastian

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It doesn't necessarily call a method – scrblnrd3 Jan 07 '14 at 22:54
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you use -> in C++ too when the variable preceding it is a pointer rather than instance – developerwjk Jan 07 '14 at 22:55

What is the "->" in code?

3 Answers3