Properly handling multiple constructors.

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Hi.

I have a scenario where I would _like_ to have multiple constructors
for a class.

Each constructor has a greater number of parameters than the previous one.

e.g.

<?php
class myClass {
__construct(string $Key) // use key to get the complex details.
__construct(string $Part1, string $Part2, string $Part3) //
Alternative route to the complex details.
__construct(array $Complex) // All the details
}

Essentially, SimpleKey is a key to a set of predefined rules. Part1, 2
and 3 are the main details and well documented defaults for the rest
of the rules. Complex is all the rules.

Each constructor will end up with all the parts being known ($Key,
$Part1, $Part2, $Part3, $Complex).

But, PHP doesn't support multiple constructors.

Initially I thought about this ...

__construct($Key_Part1_Complex, $Part2=Null, $Part3=Null)

But then documenting the first param as being 1 of three different
meanings is pretty much a no go.

So I'm looking for a clean and easily understood way to provide this.

I won't be the only user of the code and not everyone has the same
knowledge level, hence a mechanism that is easily documentable.

I think I may need a factory with multiple methods (FactoryKey,
FactoryPart1To3, FactoryComplex). Make the factory a static/singleton.
All these methods eventually call the real class with the complex
rule.

Is that obvious enough?

Regards,

Richard.


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Richard Quadling
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