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get_parent_class

(PHP 4, PHP 5)

get_parent_class -- Retrieves the parent class name for object or class

Description

string get_parent_class ( [mixed object] )

Retrieves the parent class name for object or class.

Parameters

object

The tested object or class name

Return Values

Returns the name of the parent class of the class of which object is an instance or the name.

If called without parameter outside object, this function returns FALSE.

ChangeLog

VersionDescription
Before 5.1.0 If called without parameter outside object, this function would have returned NULL with a warning.
Since 5.0.0 The object parameter is optional if called from the object's method.
Since 4.0.5 If object is a string, returns the name of the parent class of the class with that name.

Examples

Example 1. Using get_parent_class()

<?php

class dad {
    function dad()
    {
    // implements some logic
    }
}

class child extends dad {
    function child()
    {
        echo "I'm " , get_parent_class($this) , "'s son\n";
    }
}

class child2 extends dad {
    function child2()
    {
        echo "I'm " , get_parent_class('child2') , "'s son too\n";
    }
}

$foo = new child();
$bar = new child2();

?>

The above example will output:

I'm dad's son
I'm dad's son too

See Also

get_class()
is_subclass_of()

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