What does operator -> mean in PHP?

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Possible Duplicates:
What does the PHP syntax $var1->$var2 mean?
Reference - What does this symbol mean in PHP?

I'm looking at a PHP framework's code, and now and then the symbols "->" appear... for example:

$controller->permissionCheck($ret);

What does "->" stand for and what is used for?

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:45

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In your example, $controller is a PHP object created somewhere, and permissionCheck is a function defined in that object that is being called with the variable $ret being passed to it. Check this: Reference - What does this symbol mean in PHP?.

edited May 23 '17 at 11:45

Community

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answered May 14 '12 at 14:19

GDP

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so I'm setting a value to permissionCheck($ret) that is given by $controller ? so, basically, it's a more elaborated way to assign a value to permissionCheck($ret) ? – Bruno May 22 '12 at 23:10
Possibly, but not necessarily. Controller is an object, and contained within it is a function called permission check. That function could contain a dozen calls to a database that are also in that object , or a call to an opened API. So, in short, you're not assigning a value to anything - you are passing a value to a function. – GDP May 23 '12 at 03:29

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered May 14 '12 at 14:19

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It's used to address a function or property of a class. In this case a function of the controller class seems to be called.

answered May 14 '12 at 14:19

bjornruysen

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score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Dec 22 '15 at 19:01

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Operator -> is for access to the non-static members of $controller object. In your case, the member is the function permissionCheck.

edited Dec 22 '15 at 19:01

Peter Mortensen

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answered May 14 '12 at 14:20

Denis Ermolin

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What does operator -> mean in PHP?

3 Answers3