ch1 userId

nativerun · January 14th, 2010, 07:01 PM

Hi there,

I am busy implementing the login script in one of my websites. Everything is working fine and I understand the complete code except for one thing. And I want to understand everything before proceding.

The thing I just can't figure out is this:

On page six on the top of the page there is this code:

Code:

if ($field == 'userId'])
}
return $this->uid;
}
else
{
return $this->fields[$field];
}

The _set function, a little bit further down the code, checks if the array key exsists. Since neither the uid or userId is a part of the array in de constructor, I assume that it is impossible to set the uid or userId outside the class. I just can't figure out were in the code the userId is given a value. It must be there for a reason.

Can someone please tell me this?

Thanks

nativerun · January 14th, 2010, 07:47 PM

Oke, I have taken another look.
Can someone tell me if this is correct:

At the method save() the userId property is set. Then uid is returned.

But why is the save method refering to $this->userId and not directly to $this->uid?

kenj · January 15th, 2010, 12:29 AM

Hi nativerun,

In the database, in the USER table, user_id is AUTO_INCREMENT
When you insert a new user into the database
that new user gets assigned an ID. You can
retrieve that ID by doing a mysql_insert_id.
The author is doing that in this statement which
happens soon after the INSERT.

Code:

  
     $this->uid = mysql_insert_id($GLOBALS['DB']);

This is the only place the user id gets set.
We don't want it set anywhere else.

The book shows us User.php in chapter 1.
It also shows us User.php in chapter 2 because
for chapter 2 they need to make a couple of changes
with regard to user permissions.
This relates to your concern about use of
$this->userId instead of $this->uid in the save function.

The book is not consistent.
In chapter 1, in the save function, when they update
the database the last line is

Code:

   $this->isActive, $this->userId);

In chapter 2, same area, on page 36, and again on page 39,
they write it this way.

Code:

   $this->isActive, $this->permission, $this->uid);

As to which one the authors want to use, I don't know.
I use $this->userId. Now, I have tried it with $this->uid
and it worked, but keep in mind I am still in the class User.
Throughout the rest of the book, when they are in
some different class, they use $user->userId. When the
__get method sees userId it will return the uid, so you
are still getting at the uid value in all cases.
He does talk about $uid and the magic methods briefly at
the top of page 9.

I hope this helps.

By the way, there are some other issues in this book that
you might want to take a look at for chapter 1.
They are discussed in this forum. A couple that I am involved
in are:

Chapter 1 - Login not checking for active status?
see errata. Wrox acknowledged this problem.

User registration forgotpass.php
see errata. Wrox acknowledged this problem.

(Ch.1 Conflicting Info) This should be the Greatest PHP & mySQL Book - EVER

nativerun · January 15th, 2010, 08:38 AM

Kenj,

Thank you for taking the time to write this down.
It is clear to me were and how the uid is given a value.

I was wondering what exacly the $this->userId was for. It is perfectly clear now. It is there to be able to get the uid outside the class. Don't know why I missed the point.

Thank you for explaining that inside the class $this->uid would work just as well as the $this->userId. I can sleep well now ;)

I had a look at all the errata before I started to use the code, so that should be allright.

Cheers