PHP error with shortcode handler from a class

Question

Currently i am using the following generic flow for adding the shortcode for a plugin.

class MyPlugin {

    private $myvar;

    function baztag_func() {
        print $this->myvar;            
    }
}

add_shortcode( 'baztag', array('MyPlugin', 'baztag_func') );

Now when this class and it's method are called i get the following error.

Fatal error: Using $this when not in object context in ...

(Line no is where i have printed the $this->myvar)

Is this a problem on Wordpress's end or is there is something i'm doing wrong? It seems to be something really simple.

Answer 1

As the error says you need an instance of the class to use $this. There are at least three possibilities:

Make everything static

class My_Plugin
{
    private static $var = 'foo';

    static function foo()
    {
        return self::$var; // never echo or print in a shortcode!
    }
}
add_shortcode( 'baztag', array( 'My_Plugin', 'foo' ) );

But that’s not real OOP anymore, just namespacing.

Create a real object first

class My_Plugin
{
    private $var = 'foo';

    public function foo()
    {
        return $this->var; // never echo or print in a shortcode!
    }
}

$My_Plugin = new My_Plugin;

add_shortcode( 'baztag', array( $My_Plugin, 'foo' ) );

This … works. But you run into some obscure problems if anyone wants to replace the shortcode.

Better solution: create the object in your class

class My_Plugin
{
    private $var = 'foo';

    protected static $instance = NULL;

    public static function get_instance()
    {
        // create an object
        NULL === self::$instance and self::$instance = new self;

        return self::$instance; // return the object
    }

    public function foo()
    {
        return $this->var; // never echo or print in a shortcode!
    }
}

add_shortcode( 'baztag', array( My_Plugin::get_instance(), 'foo' ) );

Answer 2

Make sure that you make an instance of your class before using it unless you are sure it's supposed to be called statically. When you call a method statically, you don't use any instances and therefore it doesn't have access to any member variables or methods.