[Dean C]

A method of computer programming where items of related data together with routines associated with it are treated as a single 'object' or item in program. For example, to implement an onscreen dialog box requires graphic images for the box and its two buttons, details of how they are to be arranged, and facility to detect which button has been pressed. All of these would combine into a self-sufficient object which would take as input, the name of the dialog, perhaps some text to be displayed and the names of the buttons, and return as output a code indicating which button had been pressed. The advantage of OOP is that manipulation of the defined object can be made easier for the programmer. Languages such as C++ provide special features to assist OOP. ( top )

Undoubtedly the best way to learn OOP is to get a book and practice it. An example:

PHP Code:

class hello_world
{
    // we initliaze global variables to the methods here
    // note functions within a class are called methods
    // variables are called preferences (I think? :p)
    var $string = '';
    
    // this function has the same name as the class so we can call it's arguements when
    // intializing the class
    function hello_world($incoming, $whowetalkinto)
    {
        // in OOP the $this-> prefix allows you to make new variables which are global
        // to the class
        // you can reference the value of $this->who and $this->string anywhere in any method now
        $this->who = $whowetalkinto;
        $this->string = $incoming;

        // calls another method to output :)
        $this->output();
    }
    
    // takes our global variables and spits them out
    function output()
    {
        echo $this->string . ' ' . $this->who;
    }
}

// you initialize a class with the keyword: new
new hello_world('Hello', 'Dean');

// will output: Hello Dean 


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