PHP array error: Indirect modification of overloaded property

Question

Why is this line of code:

$this->plugins_dir[0] = SMARTY_DIR . 'plugins';

causing this error?

ERRNO: 8
TEXT: Indirect modification of overloaded property Page::$plugins_dir has no effect

By the way, the line of code is inside the constructor of a class named 'Page'.

I am working with PHP and PostgreSQL, but am not too experienced. I am stuck with this problem for few hours now, can't find the reason.

Which version of Smarty are you using? – brbcoding Mar 29 '13 at 22:51 — brbcoding, Mar 29 '13 at 22:51
Similar http://stackoverflow.com/q/10454779/1190388 ? – hjpotter92 Mar 29 '13 at 22:52 — hjpotter92, Mar 29 '13 at 22:52
brbcoding: I use Smarty-3.1.13 – user2225930 Mar 29 '13 at 22:55 — user2225930, Mar 29 '13 at 22:55

score 8 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 02 '13 at 23:39

What PHP is trying to tell you is that the property ->plugins_dir doesn't really exist, but a magic __get() function has been written that will return a value if you read from it. Assigning a variable directly to it might also work (if there is a corresponding __set()) but you cannot modify it, since it is actually a function return value. You are effectively trying to say $this->__get('plugins_dir')[0] = 'foo', which doesn't mean anything.

However, looking at the relevant Smarty documentation, we can see what the correct solution is:

Note: As of Smarty 3.1 the attribute $plugins_dir is no longer accessible directly. Use getPluginsDir(), setPluginsDir() and addPluginsDir() instead.

So your code should actually use the pattern of one of the examples on the doc page for addPluginsDir(), such as:

$this->setPluginsDir( SMARTY_DIR . 'plugins' )
     ->addPluginsDir( '/some/other/source/of/plugins' );

I'm using the Laravel framework and this was an excellent explanation. — Michael J. Calkins, Nov 16 '13 at 00:53

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 29 '13 at 22:58

0

I think this is the right way

$this->plugins_dir = SMARTY_DIR . 'plugins';

answered Mar 29 '13 at 22:58

Ejaz

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it must be some modified version of smarty then. – Ejaz Mar 29 '13 at 23:05

PHP array error: Indirect modification of overloaded property

2 Answers2