Introduction

class MyPerson {
      
      // gets an array of data about the seleted person
      function getPerson($id) {
          global $db;
          $result = $db->query("SELECT * FROM person WHERE id=$id");
          return $result->fetchRow();
      }
      
      // example of checking a password.
      function checkPassword($username,$password) {
          global $db;
          $db->query("SELECT username FROM person WHERE username='$username' AND password = '$pasword'");
          return $result->fetchRow();
      }
      
  }
  
  // get the persons details..
  $array = MyPerson::getPerson(12);

class MyPerson {
      
      var $id;
      var $name;
      var $birthDate;
      
      
      // gets an array of data about the seleted person
      function get($id) {
          global $db;
          $result = $db->query("SELECT * FROM person WHERE id=$id");
          $array = $result->fetchRow();
          foreach($array as $key=>$value) {
              $this->$key = $value;
          }
      }
      
      function getAge() {
          $age = date('Y') - date('Y',$this->birthDate);
      }
      
  }
  // now get the person and display the age.
  $person = new MyPerson;
  $person->get(12);
  echo "{$person->name} is ". $person->getAge() . " years old";

class MyPerson {
      
      var $id;
      var $name;
      var $birthDate;
      
      
      // does the query based on the value of $this->name
      function find() {
          global $db;
          $this->result = $db->query("SELECT * FROM person WHERE name={$this->name}");
      }
      
      // fetches a row of data and sets the object variables to match it.
      
      function fetch() {
          $array = $this->result->fetchRow();
          if (empty($array)) {
              return false;
          }
          foreach($array as $key=>$value) {
              $this->$key = $value;
          }
      }
      
  }
  // now get the person and display the age.
  $person ->name = "John";
  $person->find();
  while ($person->fetch()) {
    echo "a {$person->name} has a birthday on {$person->birthDate}<BR>";
  }

// this is the common configuration code - place in a general site wide include file.
  
    // this  the code used to load and store DataObjects Configuration. 
    $options = &PEAR::getStaticProperty('DB_DataObject','options');
    
    // the simple examples use parse_ini_file, which is fast and efficient.
    // however you could as easily use wddx, xml or your own configuration array.
    $config = parse_ini_file('example.ini',TRUE);
    
    // because PEAR::getstaticProperty was called with and & (get by reference)
    // this will actually set the variable inside that method (a quasi static variable)
    $options = $config['DB_DataObject'];




     // this is normally contained in your DataObjects file (autogenerated by the generator)

    require_once 'DB/DataObject.php';
    
    
    // by extending the base class DB_DataObject - you inherit all the common methods defined in it.
    
    class DataObjects_Person extends  DB_DataObject {
        
        var $id; // this is a primary id (it's specified in a config file - explained later)
        var $name;
        var $friend;
        
        // this is a simple function to get the persons friends..?
        
        function getFriends()
        {
            
            $personObject = new DataObjects_Person;
            
            // look for all people with their friend number matching this persons id.
            $personObject->friend = $this->id;
            
            // do the select query.
            $personObject->find();
            $array = array();
            
            // fetch the results into the object.
            while ($personObject->fetch()) {
                // use the clone to copy - not really needed but get used to it for PHP5

                $array[] = clone($personObject);
            }
            // return the results.
            return $array;
            
        }
    }
    
    
    
    // and this goes on your display code 
    
    // create a new person class..
    $person = new DataObjects_Person;
    
    // get the person using the primary key.
    $person->get(12);
    // get the friends.
    $friends = $person->getFriends();
    
    //  DB_DataObjects is designed to make print_r useable to debug your applications.
    print_r($friends);