I've just released syck for php 0.9.2 (a parser and emitter of YAML documents. If you don't know anything about YAML and why it is good: check my previous posts on the subject). A lot of new and tasty features.

Updates he mentions include:

• stability and consistency fixes
• enhancements with object-serialization and unserialization
• loading of objects more class names

Frank Kleine writes a PHP 5 framework called Stubbles. I have a long-standing view about frameworks that hasn't changed one bit. But instead of arguing about the Sysaphean task Frank is engaging in, I'll show what my approach is to one small component (while being a bit jealous that he can actually develop in PHP 5).

Frank's solution involves storing the objects in the session, serializing them first. The issue comes up when the class(es) the object needs aren't included into the page. Terry offers a different sort of solution - one also using __autoload, but using it combined with unserialize_callback_func.

Terry compares this with Frank's approach and notes that his method "closes off" the system from the very PHP functions that could make his life simpler (making a separate handling system). He also includes a method for doing the same when all you know is the class file's name (non-PEAR format).

If you are working with classes in PHP, you will sooner or later encounter inheritance, polymorphism, and serialization. The ability to use these three will help speed up your code writing. This article covers how to use them, and more.

First off, they look at inheritance and working with child classes before moving on to polymorphism (similar functionality, different objects), calling functions statically, and serializing objects to make passing them around much easier.