Behaviors

Behaviors add the ability for classes to have private traits, also known as Behaviors. These are similar to native PHP Traits (opens new window) except they have some distinct benefits:

Behaviors have their own constructor.
Behaviors can have private or protected methods.
Methods and property names can conflict safely.
Classes can be extended with behaviors dynamically.

# Comparison to Traits

Where you might use a PHP trait like this:

class MyClass
{
    use \October\Rain\UtilityFunctions;
    use \October\Rain\DeferredBinding;
}

A behavior is used in a similar fashion:

class MyClass extends \October\Rain\Extension\Extendable
{
    public $implement = [
        \October\Rain\UtilityFunctions::class,
        \October\Rain\DeferredBinding::class,
    ];
}

Where you might define a trait like this:

trait UtilityFunctions
{
    public function sayHello()
    {
        echo "Hello from " . get_class($this);
    }
}

A behavior is defined like this:

class UtilityFunctions extends \October\Rain\Extension\ExtensionBase
{
    protected $parent;

    public function __construct($parent)
    {
        $this->parent = $parent;
    }

    public function sayHello()
    {
        echo "Hello from " . get_class($this->parent);
    }
}

The extended object is always passed as the first parameter to the Behavior's constructor.

To summarize:

Extend \October\Rain\Extension\ExtensionBase to declare your class as a Behaviour
The class wanting to implement the Behaviour needs to extend \October\Rain\Extension\Extendable

Note: See Using Traits Instead of Base Classes

# Extending Constructors

Any class that uses the Extendable or ExtendableTrait can have its constructor extended with the static extend method. The argument should pass a closure that will be called as part of the class constructor.

MyNamespace\Controller::extend(function($controller) {
    //
});

# Dynamically Declaring Properties

Properties can be declared on an extendable object by calling addDynamicProperty and passing a property name and value.

Post::extend(function($model) {
    $model->addDynamicProperty('tagsCache', null);
});

Note: Attempting to set undeclared properties directly on the object that implements the October\Rain\Extension\ExtendableTrait will throw an expection.

# Retrieving Dynamic Properties

Properties created dynamically can be retrieved with the getDynamicProperties function inherited from the ExtendableTrait.

So retrieving all dynamic properties would look like this:

$model->getDynamicProperties();

This will return an associative array [key => value], with the key being the dynamic property name and the value being the property value.

If we know what property we want we can simply append the key (property name) to the function:

$model->getDynamicProperties()[$key];

# Dynamically Creating Methods

Methods can be created to an extendable object by calling addDynamicMethod and passing a method name and callable object, like a Closure.

Post::extend(function($model) {
    $model->addDynamicProperty('tagsCache', null);

    $model->addDynamicMethod('getTagsAttribute', function() use ($model) {
        if ($this->tagsCache) {
            return $this->tagsCache;
        } else {
            return $this->tagsCache = $model->tags()->lists('name');
        }
    });
});

# Checking the Existence of a Method

You can check for the existence of a method in an Extendable class by using the methodExists method - similar to the PHP method_exists() function. This will detect both standard methods and dynamic methods that have been added through a addDynamicMethod call. methodExists accepts one parameter: a string of the method name to check the existence of.

Post::extend(function($model) {
    $model->addDynamicMethod('getTagsAttribute', function () use ($model) {
        return $this->tagsCache;
    });
});

$post = new Post;

$post->methodExists('getTagsAttribute'); // true
$post->methodExists('missingMethod'); // false

# List All Available Methods

To retrieve a list of all available methods in an Extendable class, you can use the getClassMethods method. This method operates similar to the PHP get_class_methods() function in that it returns an array of available methods in a class, but in addition to defined methods in the class, it will also list any methods provided by an extension or through an addDynamicMethod call.

Post::extend(function($model) {
    $model->addDynamicMethod('getTagsAttribute', function () use ($model) {
        return $this->tagsCache;
    });
});

$post = new Post;

$methods = $post->getClassMethods();

/**
 * $methods = [
 *   0 => '__construct',
 *   1 => 'extend',
 *   2 => 'getTagsAttribute',
 *   ...
 * ];
 */

# Dynamically Implementing a Behavior

This unique ability to extend constructors allows behaviors to be implemented dynamically, for example:

/**
 * Extend the RainLab.Users controller to include the RelationController behavior too
 */
\RainLab\Users\Controllers\Users::extend(function($controller) {

    // Implement the list controller behavior dynamically
    $controller->implementClassWith(\Backend\Behaviors\RelationController::class);

    // Declare the relationConfig property dynamically for the RelationController behavior to use
    $controller->addDynamicProperty('relationConfig', '$/myvendor/myplugin/controllers/users/config_relation.yaml');

});

To avoid conflicts with other plugins doing the same thing, it is advisable the merge the configuration using the approach below.

UsersController::extend(function($controller) {

    // Implement the list controller behavior dynamically
    $controller->implementClassWith(\Backend\Behaviors\RelationController::class);

    // Define property if not already defined
    $controller->addDynamicProperty('relationConfig');

    // Splice in configuration safely
    $controller->relationConfig = $controller->mergeConfig(
        $controller->relationConfig,
        '$/myvendor/myplugin/controllers/users/config_relation.yaml'
    );

});

# Usage Example

# Behavior / Extension class

<?php namespace MyNamespace\Behaviors;

class FormController extends \October\Rain\Extension\ExtensionBase
{
    /**
     * @var Reference to the extended object.
     */
    protected $controller;

    /**
     * Constructor
     */
    public function __construct($controller)
    {
        $this->controller = $controller;
    }

    public function someMethod()
    {
        return "I come from the FormController Behavior!";
    }

    public function otherMethod()
    {
        return "You might not see me...";
    }
}

# Extending a Class

This Controller class will implement the FormController behavior and then the methods will become available (mixed in) to the class. We will override the otherMethod method.

<?php namespace MyNamespace;

class Controller extends \October\Rain\Extension\Extendable
{

    /**
     * Implement the FormController behavior
     */
    public $implement = [
        \MyNamespace\Behaviors\FormController::class
    ];

    public function otherMethod()
    {
        return "I come from the main Controller!";
    }
}

# Using the Extension

$controller = new MyNamespace\Controller;

// Prints: I come from the FormController Behavior!
echo $controller->someMethod();

// Prints: I come from the main Controller!
echo $controller->otherMethod();

// Prints: You might not see me...
echo $controller->asExtension('FormController')->otherMethod();

# Detecting Utilized Extensions

To check if an object has been extended with a behavior, you may use the isClassExtendedWith method on the object.

$controller->isClassExtendedWith(\Backend\Behaviors\RelationController::class);

You can extend a class dynamically with the extendClassWith method.

$controller->extendClassWith(\Backend\Behaviors\RelationController::class);

The implementClassWith method will safely check if the class is extended with the behavior and then implement it.

$controller->implementClassWith(\Backend\Behaviors\RelationController::class);

# Soft Definition

If a behavior class does not exist, like a trait, a Class not found error will be thrown. In some cases you may wish to suppress this error, for conditional implementation if a behavior is present in the system. You can do this by placing an @ symbol at the beginning of the class name.

class User extends \October\Rain\Extension\Extendable
{
    public $implement = [
        '@'.\RainLab\Translate\Behaviors\TranslatableModel::class
    ];
}

If the class name RainLab\Translate\Behaviors\TranslatableModel does not exist, no error will be thrown. This is the equivalent of the following code:

class User extends \October\Rain\Extension\Extendable
{
    public $implement = [];

    public function __construct()
    {
        if (class_exists(\RainLab\Translate\Behaviors\TranslatableModel::class)) {
            $this->implement[] = \RainLab\Translate\Behaviors\TranslatableModel::class;
        }

        parent::__construct();
    }
}

# Using Traits Instead of Base Classes

Sometimes your class may already extend a parent class outside of your source control, making it so you are unable to extend the ExtensionBase or Extendable classes. Instead you can use these traits and your classes will have to be implemented as follows.

First let's create the class that will act as a Behaviour, ie. can be implemented by other classes.

<?php namespace MyNamespace\Behaviors;

class WaveBehaviour
{
    use \October\Rain\Extension\ExtensionTrait;

    /**
     * When using the Extensiontrait, your behaviour also has to implement this method
     * @see \October\Rain\Extension\ExtensionBase
     */
    public static function extend(callable $callback)
    {
        self::extensionExtendCallback($callback);
    }

    public function wave()
    {
        echo "*waves*<br>";
    }
}

Now let's create the class that is able to implement behaviours using the ExtendableTrait.

class AI
{
    use \October\Rain\Extension\ExtendableTrait;

    /**
     * @var array Extensions implemented by this class.
     */
    public $implement;

    /**
     * Constructor
     */
    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->extendableConstruct();
    }

    public function __get($name)
    {
        return $this->extendableGet($name);
    }

    public function __set($name, $value)
    {
        $this->extendableSet($name, $value);
    }

    public function __call($name, $params)
    {
        return $this->extendableCall($name, $params);
    }

    public static function __callStatic($name, $params)
    {
        return self::extendableCallStatic($name, $params);
    }

    public static function extend(callable $callback)
    {
        self::extendableExtendCallback($callback);
    }

    public function youGotBrains()
    {
        echo "I've got an AI!<br>";
    }
}

The AI class is now able to use behaviours. Let's extend it and have this class implement the WaveBehaviour.

namespace MyNamespace\Classes;

class Robot extends AI
{
    public $implement = [
        \MyNamespace\Behaviors\WaveBehaviour::class
    ];

    public function identify()
    {
        echo "I'm a Robot<br>";
        echo $this->youGotBrains();
        echo $this->wave();
    }
}

You can now utilize the Robot as follows:

$robot = new Robot();
$robot->identify();

Which will output:

I'm a Robot
I've got an AI!
*waves*

Remember:

When using the ExtensionTrait the methods from ExtensionBase should be applied to the class.
When using the ExtendableTrait the methods from Extendable should be applied to the class.

← Application Cache →

Behaviors

Behaviors

# Comparison to Traits

# Extending Constructors

# Dynamically Declaring Properties

# Retrieving Dynamic Properties

# Dynamically Creating Methods

# Checking the Existence of a Method

# List All Available Methods

# Dynamically Implementing a Behavior

# Usage Example

# Behavior / Extension class

# Extending a Class

# Using the Extension

# Detecting Utilized Extensions

# Soft Definition

# Using Traits Instead of Base Classes

On This Page