get_parent_class

(PHP 4, PHP 5)

get_parent_classRetrieves 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.

Note:

If the object does not have a parent or the class given does not exist FALSE will be returned.

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

Changelog

Version Description
Before 5.1.0 If called without parameter outside object, this function would have returned NULL with a warning.
5.0.0 The object parameter is optional if called from the object's method.
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() - Returns the name of the class of an object
  • is_subclass_of() - Checks if the object has this class as one of its parents