On php|architect's A/R/T article repository today, there's this new tutorial centered around the use of the "magic" method __set_state in PHP5.

It is fairly self-evident how to use most of the magic methods of PHP 5. However, it is not quite so apparent how to use the __set_state method introduced in PHP 5.1. In this article, Peter lavin delves into this elusive magic method to show you how to use this gem in some really 'classy' object oriented PHP.

The author (Peter Lavin) talks first about what magic methods are and, specifically, what the __set_state method can do. He gives an example, comparing a normal usage of var_export to functionality using __set_state.