## Object Iteration

PHP 5 provides a way for objects to be defined so it is possible to iterate through a list of items, with, for example a foreach statement. By default, all visible properties will be used for the iteration.

Example#1 Simple Object Iteration

`<?php
class MyClass
{
public $var1 = 'value 1';
public $var2 = 'value 2';
public $var3 = 'value 3';
protected $protected = 'protected var';
private $private = 'private var';
function iterateVisible() {
echo "MyClass::iterateVisible:\n";
foreach($this as $key => $value) {
print "$key => $value\n";
}
}
}
$class = new MyClass();
foreach($class as $key => $value) {
print "$key => $value\n";
}
echo "\n";
$class->iterateVisible();
?>`

The above example will output:

    var1 => value 1
    var2 => value 2
    var3 => value 3

    MyClass::iterateVisible:
    var1 => value 1
    var2 => value 2
    var3 => value 3
    protected => protected var
    private => private var

As the output shows, the foreach iterated through all visible variables that can be accessed. To take it a step further you can implement one of PHP 5's internal interface named Iterator. This allows the object to decide what and how the object will be iterated.

Example#2 Object Iteration implementing Iterator

`<?php
class MyIterator implements Iterator
{
private $var = array();
public function __construct($array)
{
if (is_array($array)) {
$this->var = $array;
}
}
public function rewind() {
echo "rewinding\n";
reset($this->var);
}
public function current() {
$var = current($this->var);
echo "current: $var\n";
return $var;
}
public function key() {
$var = key($this->var);
echo "key: $var\n";
return $var;
}
public function next() {
$var = next($this->var);
echo "next: $var\n";
return $var;
}
public function valid() {
$var = $this->current() !== false;
echo "valid: {$var}\n";
return $var;
}
}
$values = array(1,2,3);
$it = new MyIterator($values);
foreach ($it as $a => $b) {
print "$a: $b\n";
}
?>`

The above example will output:

    rewinding
    current: 1
    valid: 1
    current: 1
    key: 0
    0: 1
    next: 2
    current: 2
    valid: 1
    current: 2
    key: 1
    1: 2
    next: 3
    current: 3
    valid: 1
    current: 3
    key: 2
    2: 3
    next:
    current:
    valid:

You can also define your class so that it doesn't have to define all the Iterator functions by simply implementing the PHP 5 IteratorAggregate interface.

Example#3 Object Iteration implementing IteratorAggregate

`<?php
class MyCollection implements IteratorAggregate
{
private $items = array();
private $count = 0;
// Required definition of interface IteratorAggregate
public function getIterator() {
return new MyIterator($this->items);
}
public function add($value) {
$this->items[$this->count++] = $value;
}
}
$coll = new MyCollection();
$coll->add('value 1');
$coll->add('value 2');
$coll->add('value 3');
foreach ($coll as $key => $val) {
echo "key/value: [$key -> $val]\n\n";
}
?>`

The above example will output:

    rewinding
    current: value 1
    valid: 1
    current: value 1
    key: 0
    key/value: [0 -> value 1]

    next: value 2
    current: value 2
    valid: 1
    current: value 2
    key: 1
    key/value: [1 -> value 2]

    next: value 3
    current: value 3
    valid: 1
    current: value 3
    key: 2
    key/value: [2 -> value 3]

    next:
    current:
    valid:

> Note: For more examples of iterators, see the SPL Extension.